About Me

My photo
Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

DA: Lookalike Percocet Pills Killing People

lookalike prescription drug
Lookalike Percocet pills sold on Lehigh Valley streets are killing people. That's a warning from NorCo DA John Morganelli. At a Oct 22 news conference, he discussed three fatal overdoses over the past year. Victims took heroin and fentanyl disguised as Percocet.

Fenanyl is 25 to 40 times more powerful than heroin. It is so strong that the Centers for Disease Control recommends that first responders avoid skin contact. It is cheap to produce, and comes primarily from Mexico and China. It killed 20,000 people last year, including Tom Petty and Prince.

Morganelli described one case involving a 27 year old Lower Nazareth woman. She suffered from gastroparesis, a painful abdominal condition. Opioids actually worsen this condition. She nevertheless obtained what she thought were two Percocet pills, stamped with a "30" on one side and an "M" on the other.

The "30" refers to 30 milligrams, and Assistant DA Bill Blake said it's also the cost in dollars on the street. The "M" should be a reference to Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures Percocet.

With a prescription, it costs about $70 for 35 pills.

She took one pill. She never needed to take another. The first pill killed her in what an autopsy later determined was "acute intoxication."

Analysis of the remaining blue speckled round pill revealed it was fentanyl mixed with heroin. In Mexico, this is called "El Diablito," or the little devil.

Morganelli announced that his office is investigating all of these fatal overdoses. He expects to announce an arrest soon. In the meantime, he is warning purchasers of illicit street drugs that they may be in "real peril and danger." He urged those with addictions to seek help. "Our goal is to save lives," he said. "Those who are involved in the sale of street drugs do not care about your safety. They care only about their profits."

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

You go out and buy illegal drugs and OD. JM Thank you for the warning. The jungle book of what happens when you go to a corner and buy drugs you go to jail for. Simple dont do drugs cause you can end up in the cemetery! The jungle again cleanses itself. The enablers now call heroin users have a "disease". No they are drug users and care more of themselves then the cruel brutal sorrow they put families and friends thru. Don't do the criminal act of drugs illegally! Cancer vixtims are just that as it strikes and is not preventable however drug users have made CHOICES!

Skid Row Sal said...

So the physicians and specialists who classify addiction as a disease are wrong and you anonymous member of the peanut gallery are to be believed?

Anonymous said...

People who can't control themselves all scream, "disease". Simple, put down the bottle, put down the pills. Money making BS!

Nate said...

I never understand this. As a dealer, you are not looking to eliminate your customers.That happens enough by itself. Anyway Portugal has it right.One day we might catch up to them.

Anonymous said...

The enablers call it a disease. ENA LERS! You have a choice when you seek out a dealer and shove a needle in your arm. Cancer is a disease and there is not a choice. You the enablers seek to call it disease to not have to own up to calling it a CHOICE. I don't know a victim of drug use just a dealer, user and enabler like yourself. Stop the narcan as it only shows the inevitable. I suppose you want to spew a needlenin your are or snorting is pre existing conditon too? Not buying your bull

Anonymous said...

If you don't bother to learn about drug addiction from people who actually know what they are talking about, then piss off. This isn't a conversation you belong in. I've had it with idiots who think it is better that people who become addicted die than get help, and I've had it with people I know dying because they can't get the help they need.

Anonymous said...

Uh huh

Unknown said...

I personally I think we would be better off as a society if all drugs weren't just legalized but also completely subsidized no dealer users may get their drugs without committing crimes and just do the only thing they care about getting high. If the user dies from the drug use. So what? No big loss.

Anonymous said...

We call it a disease to justify its behvaior in society it appears.. Why not call it what it is? A CHOICE. You do not just wake up with being a heroin addict today. Its a choice to venture into that behavior and get sucked up in its path of destruction not wavering nor caring about who you hurt but yourself. Your family and society is better off with you out of the picture as all you bring to them is heartache and sorrowful days of misery. Disease? No CHOICES

mj said...

It is the reason mentioned above that prompts enterprises to accord high priority to information systems security. cyber security technician salary