North Essex rehab warns of fentanyl-contaminated drugs

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 06:15 · Archive

A north Essex rehab centre has warned that clients are reporting cocaine contaminated with deadly fentanyl.

Sanctuary Lodge, a north Essex rehab centre based in Halstead, has warned that more people are reporting cocaine contaminated with deadly opioid fentanyl. The centre said it has heard from clients who believe they were exposed to fentanyl through cocaine use.

Zaheen Ahmed, the centre's head of treatment, said one client reported the incident nearly cost him his life. Ahmed said: 'This is the fundamental problem with drugs - you never, ever know what's in them. Every time you use, you gamble with your life, it's as simple as that.'

The warning comes after alerts from Open Road, a Colchester-based drug and alcohol support service, about heroin in south Essex being contaminated with fentanyl. Corinne Johns, operational lead at Open Road, said fentanyl is considerably stronger than heroin. When mixed into heroin, users have no way of knowing it is present or how much they are taking.

Even a very small amount of fentanyl can be enough to stop someone breathing, Johns said. People who have used heroin for years can overdose on what they believe is their normal dose. Open Road reported a recent case in Thurrock where a man used a testing strip on his heroin and found it was positive for fentanyl.

How it is being reported

• Rehab centre warns of fentanyl-contaminated cocaine reportsNorth Essex rehab centre Sanctuary Lodge warns that clients have reported cocaine has been contaminated with deadly fentanyl, as Open Road reports recent heroin alert in south Essex.Echo (Basildon) · 12 Oct, 05:00
• Rehab centre warns of fentanyl-contaminated cocaine reportsNorth Essex rehab centre Sanctuary Lodge warns that clients have reported cocaine has been contaminated with deadly fentanyl, as Open Road reports recent heroin alert in south Essex.Brentwood Guardian · 12 Oct, 05:00
• Rehab centre warns of fentanyl-contaminated cocaine reportsNorth Essex rehab centre Sanctuary Lodge warns that clients have reported cocaine has been contaminated with deadly fentanyl, as Open Road reports recent heroin alert in south Essex.Colchester Gazette · 12 Oct, 05:00

In this story: Sanctuary Lodge · Halstead · Zaheen Ahmed · Open Road · Colchester · Corinne Johns · Thurrock

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