Mankato Cases Serve As Reminders Of Dangers of Synthetic Opioids

Health officials are reminding the public of the dangers of synthetic opioids.  This comes after three juveniles in the Mankato area recently overdosed after taking Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Lydia Burr director of Clinical Services for Hazelden Betty Ford in St. Paul says synthetic opioids like fentanyl get cut into other chemicals:

“What happens is people use the same amount of chemicals as they normally use and they use an amount they think their body can handle and that will be effective for them. But if there is a synthetic opioid cut into that chemical and they are not aware of it they are actually getting much more than they think they are even though it looks like the same amount and that can result in the overdoses we are seeing.”

Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl can be life-threatening and two milligrams can be a lethal dose.