New Drug, “Gray Death,” Poses Extreme Danger to First Responders

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security just issued a new warning on Gray Death earlier this week.

When approaching an emergency, you never know where extreme danger may lurk, so every precaution must be taken,” State Emergency Medical Services Medical Director Dr. Michael Olinger said in a statement. “That’s definitely true for any drug-related scene, where even a tiny amount of the wrong substance can be deadly.”

First responders are urged to use extreme caution at overdose scenes, and wear gloves and masks while covering as much skin as possible. Carfentanil can be absorbed through the skin or accidentally inhaled.

They are cautioned to avoid touching any potential drug materials or paraphernalia and to seek immediate medical attention if there are any signs of exposure.

Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter asserts that law enforcement will take a more aggressive stance to identify, arrest and effectively prosecute drug traffickers.

Here’s the bottom line. Many people become addicted to opioids from what originally started as a legitimately prescribed use, while others became addicted as a result of illicit use … But addiction is addiction, regardless of the path and this is not a problem we can — or should try — to arrest our way out of. And equally as troubling is the threat these substances are posing to the health and safety of public safety officials. … We in law enforcement will continue to direct our resources toward arresting the traffickers of these illegal substances and working with prosecutors to build the strongest case possible to make the price of conviction higher than the profit from peddling death and destruction.”

Officials in other states are sounding the alarm over Gray Death. Because the components can be easily absorbed through the skin, simply touching the powder poses an extreme risk to users.

Gray death is one of the scariest combinations that I have ever seen in nearly 20 years of forensic chemistry drug analysis,” Deneen Kilcrease, manager of the chemistry section at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said.

Georgia investigators report 50 overdose cases involving Gray Death have occurred in the past three months. Most of them have taken place in the Atlanta area.

The ongoing heroin and opioid epidemic nationally resulted in 33,000 fatal overdoses in 2015. Gray Death will likely drive those numbers higher.

Source: WDRB Louisville