'New' Drug On The Streets

22nd September 2011

Grampian Police and NHS Grampian have recently issued a warning to heroin users
in the region in light of a recent drug-related death and an unconnected recovery of
drugs in Aberdeen. It was confirmed that the Class A drug Fentanyl, a white powder
sometimes called 'China White', had been implicated in a 40 year old man's death. In
an unconnected incident a recovery of Fentanyl had been made when suspected
heroin was seized in a drug raid.

Fentanyl is an opiate analgesic 80 times more powerful than heroin. It can act very
quickly and in small doses. Heroin users run a serious risk of overdose and death in
using this substance illicitly.

In a similar vein NHS Grampian is advising drug users that they are facing even
higher risks than usual to their health, following Grampian Police confirmation that
there have been 27 confirmed drug-related deaths across the region during 2011 up
to the beginning of June. Of these 13 are from Aberdeen, 10 from Aberdeenshire
and 4 from Moray.

During all of 2010, there were 36 drug-related deaths, with 29, 5 and 2 deaths in
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray respectively.