COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is sending out a warning about the reemergence of the lethal synthetic opioid carfentanil in several state drug cases, an increase that may signal a possible rise in overdoses.
In a release sent out on Friday, Yost reports that multiple recent identifications of carfentanil have occurred throughout Ohio. “Carfentanil is used by veterinarians to tranquilize elephants – this is an extremely powerful opioid that can have devastating effects,” he stated. “For an opioid that potent, even a handful of cases is enough to trigger alarms.”
Here were the specific identifications of the presence of carfentanil:
- The Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s (BCI) drug chemistry lab confirmed the presence of carfentanil in three separate drug cases submitted from Trumbull County law enforcement agencies in August. In one of the cases, the substance was located at the scene of an overdose.
- The Central Ohio Major Drug Interdiction Task Force, operating under the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), conducted a drug seizure last week that took 3 kilograms of carfentanil off Franklin County streets before it could be distributed.
- The Columbus Division of Police’s drug laboratory analyzed an additional case this month that involved the fatal overdose of a minor in which carfentanil was identified.
Yost's office says each of cases are still under investigation.
Prior to these recent cases, Yost says BCI testing had confirmed only two cases of carfentanil this year and five cases in all of 2022. While law enforcement officials do not believe that the cases are connected, Yost's office says the trend suggests the reemergence of the drug.
Carfentanil is about 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine. It often takes the form of a white, brown, tan or beige powdery substance.
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to carfentanil should seek immediate medical attention and notify law enforcement.