DEA report shows spike of fentanyl deaths in Western Pennsylvania
The rate of overdose deaths in Allegheny County far exceeds the national average, and a synthetic drug has skyrocketed as a culprit, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration report.
The report, released Monday, analyzed toxicology data from drug-related deaths last year in the county, where the drug-related overdose death rate of 32.75 per 100,000 exceeded the state average of 21.9 and was almost double the national average of 16.15.
The analysis indicated that heroin was the most-mentioned drug in toxicology reports for the 393 overdose deaths last year, appearing in more than 60 percent. However, mentions of fentanyl increased nearly 10 percent between 2014 and 2015.
“We've seen sporadic (fentanyl) outbreaks throughout the country before, but largely in localized areas,” said Gary Tuggle, special agent in charge of the DEA's Philadelphia division, which handles all of Pennsylvania. “This particular outbreak seems to be a little bit more systemic than that.”
Tuggle said that because of the high demand for heroin, drug trafficking groups have begun using fentanyl not only as a cutting agent but to enhance the potency of heroin.
Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, he said.
The analysis compared drugs mentioned in toxicology reports for the past five years.
Heroin mentions increased from about 50 in 2012 to more than 200 in 2015, according to the report.
Mentions of fentanyl increased from fewer than 25 in 2010 to more than 100 last year. The biggest increase was between 2013 and 2014, when fentanyl is thought to have been introduced to heroin in the region.
“The misuse and abuse of prescription opioids have caused a whole new subculture of heroin addiction in the country,” Tuggle said. “It acts as a feeder system to the heroin epidemic.”
The report concluded that drug abuse — particularly heroin — constitutes a public health crisis in the county, and the increasing number of deaths from heroin and fentanyl likely will continue this year.
A federal grand jury in March indicted Justin Thornton, 32, of Whitaker in the distribution of acetylfentanyl and fentanyl in August that killed one person. In February, Justin Robinson, 30, of Carrick was indicted on charges of dealing a mixture of heroin and fentanyl that killed one and injured another. U.S. Attorney David Hickton's office is pursuing the charges against Robinson.
In January, a federal grand jury indicted three Western Pennsylvania men for trafficking fentanyl-spiked heroin that killed users in Allegheny and Cambria counties.
Andre Higgs, 32, of Pittsburgh, Romar Watts, 34, of Homestead and Brian Borruto, 40, of Ebensburg were charged with conspiring to distribute and distributing the heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of at least two people.
Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer.
