Sununu, police warn of increased OD risks tied to fentanyl mixtures

Jul. 1—CONCORD — Gov. Chris Sununu, police and medical officials warned Thursday that the risk of drug overdoses has increased because the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl is frequently being mixed with or replacing other narcotics.

"What we've seen over the past few months here in New Hampshire has really taken a drastic turn," Sununu said at a news conference outside Concord Hospital's emergency department. "We're seeing a whole new mix, an integration of these very dangerous and deadly drugs being mixed in with more recreational [substance use]."

The N.H. Division of Public Health Services reported that opioid-related hospital emergency department visits increased by 20 percent statewide from April to May, from 18.87 to 22.72 per 100,000 in population.

State Police Col. Nathan Noyes said that from 2014 to 2021, there has been an 1,800 percent increase in the number of suspected drug samples that tested positive for fentanyl in his department's lab.

"While fentanyl can be seen as the sole drug in some samples, approximately 70 percent of the time it is mixed with other drugs," he said.

Sununu promised an aggressive public-messaging campaign over the summer to warn people about the danger.

"This is not a city issue. This is a 220-city-and-town issue, all across New Hampshire. There is not a single high school that does not have methamphetamine with fentanyl in it," he said. "If you think differently, you're wrong."

He said China is producing fentanyl in massive amounts, and smugglers are bringing it into the United States from Mexico.

Sam Lake, executive director of the Keene Serenity Center recovery community, said in an interview Thursday that fentanyl dominates street drugs. Its potency and the unpredictable amounts in which it's mixed with other drugs increases overdose dangers, he said.

"It's everywhere," Lake said. "There's no heroin anymore; it's fentanyl.

"It's dangerous because these things are being made in your kitchen. ... You're making pills, and you can call it whatever you want."

The pills can be made to look like prescription medication such as Adderall, a stimulant, or oxycodone, an opioid painkiller, he said.

At the news conference in Concord, Col. Noyes displayed a confiscated batch of pills. A dealer had made them to look like oxycodone tablets, but the active ingredient was actually fentanyl, which the CDC says is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

Sununu spoke of concerns that fentanyl could be added to marijuana, but he and other participants at the event couldn't point to a single New Hampshire case where this occurred.

The Republican governor, who is running for re-election, also said he opposes any attempt to legalize recreational use of marijuana in New Hampshire as has been done in surrounding states.

Proponents of legalization say marijuana bought through a regulated system could be safer than purchases made through the black market, but Sununu has a different opinion.

"The idea that we just legalize more drugs to combat the drug crisis, I'll push back on that every time," he said.

While drug overdose deaths have decreased somewhat in the state from several years ago, Sununu said he is concerned that the prevalence of fentanyl could increase these numbers.

The May report of the state's Drug Monitoring Initiative says confirmed drug overdose deaths peaked in New Hampshire in 2017 at 488. Last year's death toll as of this past April was 381. The number could grow as additional toxicology tests are done.

The DMI report said the availability of naloxone, or Narcan, which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, likely contributes to the overall decline.

Also included in the report are 2021 overdose deaths by town through nearly nine months of the year (83 cases statewide were still pending toxicology tests). Keene had six fatal overdoses, fifth highest in the state behind Manchester (38), Nashua (14), Rochester (eight) and Concord (seven).

Emergency medical service incidents involving overdoses or other drug abuse were included in the report as a range. Keene had 101 to 200 such incidents, while Manchester and Nashua led the state with a range of 500 to 1,300.

Cheshire County residents can get immediate assistance for substance-use disorders by visiting The Doorway — a referral hub for people to get help — at 24 Railroad St. in Keene. It is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Support through the state's 24/7 hotline is available by calling 211.

Rick Green can be reached at rgreen@keenesentinel.com or 603-355-8567.