Author: Gary Jackson

“Gray death” is the latest, “scariest” opioid drug threat

Another reason for the appearance of drugs like gray death is that foreign chemists producing drugs overseas and sending them to the U.S. can quickly change their formulations to evade U.S. drug laws. These evolving substances tend to get more and more potent, and with manufacturers adding these constantly changing drugs to heroin, users can never be sure what they’re getting. A local police department in Louisiana is warning people about a potentially lethal drug combination called “gray death” — a substance so powerful, they warn you shouldn’t even touch it.

Extremely potent batches may cause a person who is using gray death to quickly stop breathing and die. Potential side effects from gray death resemble the side effects of other opioids. Since gray death can contain any number of substances, its use can be dangerous and sometimes fatal.

Why Is Gray Death Gaining in Popularity?

For someone who is overdosing, Narcan can restore normal breathing within two to three minutes if breathing has slowed or stopped. Some communities also are seeing fentanyl mixed with non-opioids, such as cocaine. In Rhode Island, the state has recommended that individuals with a history of cocaine use receive supplies of the anti-overdose drug naloxone. You can also combine treatment options, which can help you feel stronger along the road to recovery.

• The mixing poses a deadly risk to users and also challenges investigators trying to figure out what they’re dealing with this time around, said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.
• Due to its sheer potency, someone experiencing overdose from gray death may require multiple doses of Narcan, more than what most police officers, emergency medical technicians and first responders have on hand.
• Reports of gray death overdoses first began to surface in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Pennsylvania and Ohio in 2017.
• To learn more about available treatment options,  contact us today.
• The state reached its highest total for unintentional drug overdose deaths in 2020.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has received 50 overdose cases in the past three months involving gray death, most from the Atlanta area, said spokeswoman Nelly Miles. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.