Lexington emergency officials say they’re concerned that more fatal forms of heroin may gain a foothold in the city.
Emergency crews from the Lexington Division of Fire responded to four heroin overdoses in February. Three were saved with emergency doses of Naloxone, a drug that can reverse the effects of opiate overdoses. Though the number of calls is down from the beginning of 2013, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports cases are still trending up overall – as is the potency of the some of the heroin being used.
Lexington Division of Fire Battalion Chief Brian Wood says dealers have begun lacing the drug with fentanyl, a strong synthetic opiate. And though he hasn’t seen the enhanced heroin in Lexington yet, he suspects it’s making its way into the city.
Public Safety Commissioner Clay Mason says much of it is coming in through the I-75 corridor, but he's not certain where the drugs are coming from before they hit the highway.
Lexington had a total of 44 heroin-related deaths last year.
