Fentanyl

Police Chief Joe Mokwa and Health Director Dr. Bill Kincaid stopped by last week to talk about a serious public health issue.

Doc’s office — like Health Departments in Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and many others — is now monitoring the effects of a killer-heroin mix being sold throughout the Midwest. Neither public heath officials nor law enforcers have yet been able to determine the source of heroin laced with the commercial painkiller fentanyl. More than a hundred users of the drug mix have died throughout country, including several people in this region.

Combating the drug’s use is difficult. Chicago police officials report, for example, that a flier they circulated to warn drug users was being used by drug dealers as sales brochures.

I’ll keep you posted on Doc’s and the chief’s efforts.