Gray death (original) (raw)

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Slang term for opioid drug mixtures

Gray death is a slang term which refers to potent mixtures of synthetic opioids, for example benzimidazole opioids or fentanyl analogues, which were often sold on the street misleadingly as "heroin". However, other substances such as cocaine have also been laced with opioids that resulted in illness and death.

History and etymology

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The substance first appeared in America and was thought to be a unique chemical compound before being identified as a mixture of drugs.[1] The first batch of gray death had a characteristic gray color.[2]

Samples have been found to contain heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and the designer drug U-47700.[3] A mixture of drugs misleadingly called 2C-B had been found to contain fentanyl in Argentina.[4]

Dangers and treatment

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As with other illicit narcotics, gray death carries a higher risk of serious adverse effects than prescribed opioids due to the unknown and inconsistent composition of the product.[5] Even experienced opioid users risk serious injury or death when taking this drug mixture.[6] In February 2022, 24 people in Argentina died after using cocaine laced with carfentanil.[7]

Reversing a gray death overdose may require multiple doses of naloxone. By contrast, an overdose from morphine or from high-purity heroin would ordinarily need only one dose.[5] This difficulty is regularly encountered when treating overdoses of high-affinity opioids in the fentanyl chemical family or with buprenorphine. The greater affinity of these substances for the μ-opioid receptor impedes the activity of naloxone, which is an antagonist at the receptor. It may be necessary to increase the dosage of naloxone or its frequency of administration in order to counteract respiratory depression.

  1. ^ Nedelman, Michael (13 May 2017). "'Grey death': A powerful new street drug". CNN. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Gray Death Drug Addiction in Ohio: What You Need to Know - GTBH Ohio". Georgetown Behavioral Hospital. 15 July 2021.
  3. ^ Lehman, Pamela. "Bethlehem police find first case of deadly drug known as 'gray death'".[_permanent dead link_]
  4. ^ "Fentanyl and 2CB, Worrying New Cocktail on Colombia's Party Circuit". InSight Crime. 20 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b Welsh-Huggins, Andrew (8 May 2017). "A dangerous mix of opioids called 'gray death' is causing overdoses in parts of the US". Associated Press. Retrieved 5 April 2019 – via Business Insider.
  6. ^ Patterson, Eric. "Gray Death: The New Killer on the Street". Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Cocaína 'envenenada' que causou mortes na Argentina tinha anestésico para elefantes". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese).