GBI issues alert warning public about dangers of synthetic opioids

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation issued an alert Thursday afternoon warning the public about the dangers of synthetic opioids.

The U-47700 and furanyl fentanyl have caused 17 deaths within the last four months, which is the same amount of deaths they caused in 2016. The Schedule I drugs are distributed in the power or tablet form and used in the same manner as heroin.

They can cause shallow breathing, pinpoint pupils, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, lethargy, cold or clammy skin, loss of consciousness, and/or heart failure, according to a news release from the state agency.

“Should someone come in contact with the drugs and an overdose is suspected, administer Naloxone immediately and call 911,” the GBI stated. “Multiple doses of Naloxone may be required.”

With a high potential for abuse, they are not currently being accepted for medical treatment in the U.S. The GBI Crime Lab has received approximately 50 cases this year involving U-47700 and furanyl fentanyl, many of which also involved the use of three or four other types of opiates.

“Because furanyl fentanyl and U-47700 are lethal at very low doses, law enforcement and the public should use caution when handling these drugs,” the GBI stated in the release. “They can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin and are extremely toxic in the smallest quantities.”

A Metro-Atlanta law enforcement agency recently seized about 8 kilograms of a mixture of furanyl fentanyl and U-47700. A field test of the opioids was negative, but the GBI Crime Lab testing identified the substance.

“The danger and complexity of the diploids led to the GBI issuing a statewide officer safety alert,” the agency said. “Law enforcement has been warned to use extreme caution and utilize personal protective equipment when handling or packaging any synthetic opioid.”

Legislation was introduced this year to ban both U-47700 and furanyl fentanyl. It went into effect on April 17.

This story was originally published May 5, 2017 at 7:53 AM with the headline "GBI issues alert warning public about dangers of synthetic opioids."