Fentanyl narcotic blamed for another mysterious death in Oklahoma City

Tuesday, September 20, 2016 by: L.J. Devon, Staff Writer
Tags: fentanyl, opioid addiction, drug overdose

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(NaturalNews) The prescription narcotic that was involved in the sudden death of music icon Prince, is the same drug that continues to take lives mysteriously all across the nation. The drug is fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid painkiller that is used to treat debilitating pain for people undergoing surgery or who may be suffering on their deathbeds. This drug is quickly taking American streets by storm, leading to overdose and sudden death.

Since last summer, a cluster of deaths from fentanyl poisoning have been reported in Oklahoma alone. Thus far, 47 early deaths have been reported in the state in less than a year, all caused in some shape or form by this extremely potent prescription painkiller.

Now another mysterious death in Oklahoma City is being traced back to this drug. Several months after her death, the Oklahoma state medical examiner has confirmed that Christie Lynn Schlund died from acute fentanyl toxicity. For months her death had remained a mystery; now toxicology reports point to a fentanyl overdose.

Fentanyl is prescribed under the brand names Actiq®, Duragesic® and Sublimaze®. On the street it's known as Apache, China Girl, China White, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfella, Jackpot, Murder 8, TNT, and Tango and Cash. Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics spokesman Mark Woodward says, "In some cases, it [fentanyl] can be several times stronger than just traditional opiates."

A single dose of fentanyl can be contained in the size of two grains of sand. This synthetic drug is highly addictive and easy to overdose on, especially now that it is becoming popular on the streets and is mixed in with other street drugs such as heroin.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent."

Three more mysterious deaths in Oklahoma caused by fentanyl poisoning

It has taken investigators five months to sort through the evidence. When first responders went inside a home on the 8700 block of S.W. 36th, they found three family members unconscious inside the home. Oklahoma City Fire Department district chief, Sean Cobb, said that a man had called 911 when he couldn't wake any of them up. The fire crews suspected that the three had been poisoned by carbon monoxide, but the first responders couldn't get a reading on their CO device. Two of the people were already dead, and the third died soon thereafter at the hospital.

Not long afterward, the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office declared that one of the deceased, Jeffrey Vaughn, had died from "acute combined fentanyl and oxycodone toxicity." A month later, they announced that the second of the deceased, Susan Hadley, had died from accidental fentanyl poisoning. Finally, in September, it was announced that the third of the deceased, Christie Lynn Schlund, had died from acute fentanyl toxicity.

Sources include:

KFOR.com

DrugAbuse.gov

Science.NaturalNews.com