Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters (DEE’-turz) went to court Wednesday seeking the unusual blanket immunity.
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Hamilton County law enforcement and government officials plan to appear before a judge today for a hearing about the recent surge of heroin overdoses. Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ruehlman agreed. Authorities say almost 300 overdoses have been reported in the Cincinnati area in the last three weeks. The drug, which can be 50 times as potent as heroin and up to 100 times stronger than fentanyl, is one of several synthetic opiates being mixed with heroin and sold on the street.
Sammarco said the office of Republican U.S. Sen.
A coroner in OH has confirmed the country’s first fatal drug overdoses caused by carfentanil-an animal tranquilizer so powerful that a dose smaller than a snowflake can kill a human.
Communities in OH neighbors West Virginia, Kentucky and in also saw overdose spikes in recent weeks.
US Drug Enforcement Administration officials have said they believe much of the carfentanil is being shipped from China to Mexico, where traffickers are mixing it with heroin and other drugs such as the painkiller fentanyl.
Sammarco added that they are waiting on blood and urine tests from five more overdose deaths which she is confident “will also be due to carfentanil”. Authorities say carfentanil also poses danger to police, emergency personnel and drug dogs having contact with it.
Under the order, some can bring drugs they believe can cause an overdose to a county police or sheriff’s station.
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Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil said Friday that the substance turned out to be heroin combined with carfentanil and fentanyl.
