Contaminated Heroin Linked to Deaths
Northeastern U.S. and Scotland
Feb 2005
At the end of January, 2005, hospitals in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut reported that male insufflated-heroin users had been presenting with symptoms of agitation, nausea, headaches, hypotension, tachycardia, hypokalemia, and some with lactic acidosis. Some initially speculated that it could be a cyanide contamination, but no cyanide was found in any analysis.
Analysis of provided samples showed the heroin had been contaminated with clenbuterol, an unscheduled, dopamine and epinephrine agonist sometimes used as a pseudo-steroid. According to the NYC DOHMH, a total of six cases were reported in New York City that seemed related to the same contaminated batch of heroin, as of February 9.
In Connecticut 3 men are believed to have died as a result of the same contaminated heroin. The Connecticut Poison Control Center issued an advisory after 3 men were found dead on February 3, 2005, in New Britain, CT. In New Jersey (Warren, Middlesex, and Monmouth)in late January, 10 men presented to hospital Emergency Departments complaining of headaches, racing hearts and other similar symptoms after insufflating heroin.
There is not yet enough information about the various cases to know that it is the same batch of heroin, nor all clenbuterol related, but the investigation is ongoing.
In late January, 2005, a handful of reports appeared in British news about a possibly contaminated batch of heroin. There is no evidence that the US and British contamination are related.
Analysis of provided samples showed the heroin had been contaminated with clenbuterol, an unscheduled, dopamine and epinephrine agonist sometimes used as a pseudo-steroid. According to the NYC DOHMH, a total of six cases were reported in New York City that seemed related to the same contaminated batch of heroin, as of February 9.
In Connecticut 3 men are believed to have died as a result of the same contaminated heroin. The Connecticut Poison Control Center issued an advisory after 3 men were found dead on February 3, 2005, in New Britain, CT. In New Jersey (Warren, Middlesex, and Monmouth)in late January, 10 men presented to hospital Emergency Departments complaining of headaches, racing hearts and other similar symptoms after insufflating heroin.
There is not yet enough information about the various cases to know that it is the same batch of heroin, nor all clenbuterol related, but the investigation is ongoing.
In late January, 2005, a handful of reports appeared in British news about a possibly contaminated batch of heroin. There is no evidence that the US and British contamination are related.
- Bad Heroin in New Jersey, Connecticut
- City investigating tainted heroin, newsday.com Feb 11, 2005
- Deaths Bring Statewide Heroin Alert, courant.com, Feb 11, 2005
- Scottish Contaminated Heroin Warning, evening telegraph, Jan 19, 2005
- Search Google News
Scottish and British Warnings (Possibly Related)
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Comments to Erowid about this issue
I'm from New Britain, CT. I'm writing to let you know about either a bad, or extremely potent batch of heroin in the new britain, ct area(and possibly elsewhere in the northeastern us). in new britain, 3 men have died within the last week, and there has been a substantial increase in the amount of overdose-patients seen in the hospital.
My father was one of the men who died. it has been all over the news, both tv and newspapers, and the state has issued a warning. Getting the word out is very important right now. it has been featured in both the Hartford Courant (http://www.ctnow.com) and the New Britain Herald (www.ctcentral.com), within the past few days.