W-18: A New Dangerous and Addicting Street Drug
Health officials are growing concerned about the recent emergence of a drug called W-18, a synthetic opiate like fentanyl that produces a heroin-like high, but is 100 times as potent and powerful as heroin and 10,000 times more powerful than morphine. W-18 is making it’s way into North America. Although it was developed in Canada as an alternative painkiller, it wasn’t manufactured and sold until a Chinese chemist discovered the formula.
Most likely, W-18 is being produced in labs in China then is being shipped to North America through services such as FedEx. Being sold as a quick high for users, W-18 has made its way first in Canada, and then slowly into the United States. The circulation of this drug is very concerning for many reasons – mostly because there are so many unknowns. The effects of this drug is unknown because there were no formal tests or trials conducted. It is also undetectable in in urine and/or blood and therefore a physician would not be able to tell if a patient is overdosing from this specific drug. After some instances where W-18 was involved in overdosing in Florida, a local Florida epidemiologist was reported to say, “This is the most deadly drug trend I’ve seen in 31 years.”
Recently, reports indicate that W-18 is moving up the coast from Florida into cities such as Philadelphia. Another huge concern with W-18 is that there are rumors that W-18 is being mixed with or cut-in with other drugs, such as heroin, making them even more potent and deadly.