Cincinnati is in a panic this week after an unprecedented 174 heroin overdoses occurred in just six days. Law enforcement and first responders nationwide have been struggling to try and stop this rapidly growing heroin epidemic. Local law enforcement believes that this batch of heroin has been cut with elephant tranquillizer, also known as carfentanil. Carfentanil is the strongest commercial opioid there is and it’s 10,000 times more powerful than morphine.

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, on average there are four overdoses reported in Cincinnati per day that are caused by “pure heroin”. This batch that’s cut with Carfentanil has raised those statics over 7x the old daily average (that’s an average of 29 overdoses reported daily). Authorities have also reported that the heroin cut with carfentanil has reduced the effect of Narcan on reviving the user. Some first responders had to use multiple doses of Narcan to save some users last week. Hats off to the first responders, local law enforcement and medical personnel for saving as many lives as you did last week.