Clarion DA warns of dangers caused by fentanyl offshoots

The synthetic opioid fentanyl family of drugs has sprouted two new offshoots called carfentanyl and acetyfentanyl.

The Centers for Disease Control says fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges.

“However, most recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl,” the CDC said. “It is sold through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect and is often mixed with heroin and/or cocaine as a combination product, with or without the user’s knowledge, to increase its euphoric effects,” according to the CDC.

That lethal combination led to the 2017 death of Clarion County resident Kayla Dunlap, who injected acetylfentanyl.

Shaun Long of Emlenton was convicted this month in Venango County Court on charges related to Dunlap’s death, and Dr. Todd Luckasevic of Sewickley testified during Long’s trial that acetylfentanyl is so new that no legal levels have been established.

“It is a synthetic opiate not prescribed for human use,” the physician said.

Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh described acetyfentanyl as an “elephant tranquilizer” that should not be used on humans.

Welsh said the problem is that fentanyl is often delivered in a clear plastic “stamp bag.” The contents aren’t listed on the bag.

“The user never knows what they are getting,” Welsh said. “It could contain anything from the uncut drug to baking soda. Usually the contents are cut with something, which increases the profit of the dealer. You just never know what is going to be in that stamp bag. One stamp bag could very well be your last,” Welsh added.

A witness at Long’s trial testified that Dunlap died almost immediately after injecting the acetylfentanyl.

Welsh said Clarion County hasn’t had a case involving acetyfentanyl but has had a case with carfentanyl.

The U.S. Department of Justice says “carfentanyl is a synthetic opioid approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.”

“Last year was the high mark with a lot of carfentanyl cases,” said Welsh. “We do see a lot of fentanyl though. The majority I have seen have been straight fentanyl or heroin mixed with fentanyl.”

The CDC says overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, which includes fentanyl, increased almost 47% from 2016 to 2017. Roughly 28,400 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids other than methadone in 2017, the CDC said.

Reports from law enforcement indicate that much of the synthetic opioid overdose increase may be due to illegally or illicitly made fentanyl.