PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Department of Health is alerting medical professionals to the recent detection of novel synthetic opioids in the state’s drug supply.
In a health care professional advisory issued Wednesday, the Health Department warned that a number of illicit drug samples tested positive for a variety of novel synthetic opioids, including carfentanil, nitazenes and spirochlorphine.
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This is the first time spirochlorphine has been detected in the state’s drug supply, according to the Health Department. It’s also the third year in a row that illicit drug samples have tested positive for carfentanil and nitazines.
Novel synthetic opioids are primarily combined with fentanyl and other illicit drugs, which makes them even more potent and dangerous to unsuspecting users…