Boulder County cautions residents after finding powdered fentanyl in…

Boulder County Public Health is urging caution for residents following the discovery of a powdered form of fentanyl circulating in the county’s illicit drug market.

On Saturday, the Boulder Police Department and Boulder County Drug Task Force discovered granular substances that tested positive for fentanyl while responding to a suspected overdose death. A news release said the substances had the texture of drywall plaster, and one was pink while the other was the color of sand.

“Deadly powdered fentanyl is in Boulder County’s illicit drug supply, and residents must take extra steps to keep themselves and their friends and family safe,” Boulder County Drug Task Force Cmdr. Nick Goldberger said in the news release. “Fentanyl is a hazardous drug that can be manufactured in many different colors and consistencies and can include other dangerous drugs.”

Fentanyl is roughly 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more than morphine, according to the news release, significantly increasing the risk of death from an accidental overdose.

Boulder County Public health instructs residents to assume that any pills purchased from a non-pharmacy source may contain a lethal dose of fentanyl, avoid using drugs alone, start with very small doses with something new, and test drugs with fentanyl strips.

If residents know someone or are someone who uses illicit drugs, they should always carry naloxone, also known as Narcan. Naloxone is covered by most insurance plans and is available for free from Boulder County Public Health, University of Colorado students’ Wardenburg Health Center, Mental Health Partners and local pharmacies without a prescription. Naloxone can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.

Residents should call 911 if someone may have overdosed. Colorado has the Good Samaritan Law, and the caller will not be charged with drug possession in amounts for personal consumption if the person calls 911 and remain present until help arrives.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment reported 920 deaths caused by fentanyl poisoning in Colorado in 2022, according to the news release. The number of fentanyl-related deaths per 100,000 people in the state has more than quadrupled since 2016.