The Orleans Parish Coroner warned fentanyl is increasingly being found laced into other drugs, and that phenomenon is, in part, driving the surge in pandemic era drug-related deaths. 331 people have died of drug-related causes this year according to New Orleans Coroner Dwight McKenna, which is mostly on track with last year’s numbers and far above the 233 recorded in 2019.
“This is probably the most dangerous drug I have ever seen,” said McKenna told the City Council during a 2022 budget hearing. “Take out a penny, a half of a penny of fentanyl will kill you.”
McKenna said there’s been an alarming increase in the number of overdose deaths related to fentanyl lacing. He said young people are smoking pot, often not knowing it’s been laced with fentanyl.
“What is happening is they are lacing the marijuana with fentanyl, so a kid smokes marijuana that’s been laced with fentanyl, he falls asleep he doesn’t wake up.” Said McKenna. “The dealer does a lot of it, it makes the high higher, but what happens is you fall asleep and you don’t wake up.”
