Nurse on Rash of Area Poisonings: ‘I’ve Never Seen Overdoses Like This’

(Sacramento Bee, March 25) A rash of drug overdoses recently hit Sacramento County, sending in at least a dozen victims ages 18-45 by ambulance to emergency rooms. The drug, Norco, is a painkiller, but authorities believe a particular batch was contaminated with fentanyl, another painkiller that's 80 times more potent than morphine. It's suspected that the pills may have been manufactured with fentanyl laced, but a drug counselor says he has heard of teens extracting moisture from fentanyl packets into a syringe and injecting them. He believes the spike may be the result of "teens looking for some extra fun during spring break." READ MORE.