Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Tainted drugs in California kill six people in less than a week

Several others have overdosed on the bad drugs.

Payton Guion
New York
Tuesday 29 March 2016 20:28 BST
Comments
A tainted batch of Norco has killed six people in Sacramento.
A tainted batch of Norco has killed six people in Sacramento. (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Nearly 30 people have overdosed and six people have died in less than a week in Sacramento, California after using a tainted form of a narcotic painkiller being sold on that city's streets.

A batch of the opiate Norco being sold in the California capital appears to have been laced with fentanyl, an opiate that is roughly 100 times more potent than heroin, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Sacramento County Division of Public Health reported on Tuesday that the drug has caused at least 28 overdoes and six deaths since March 23.

The county health department has conducted toxicology tests on the six people who died to confirm fentanyl was present alongside the Norco and is awaiting results.

As the United States continues to struggle with an unprecedented heroin epidemic, fentanyl has become a popular -- and extremely dangerous -- alternative.

Follow @PaytonGuion on Twitter.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in