A public health alert was issued by the New York State Health Department (DOH) on Friday, June 21, warning of a powerful synthetic veterinary sedative found in drug samples in Central New York and the Capital Region. Two drug samples collected in Schenectady and Syracuse were confirmed to contain medetomidine, a dangerous drug that impacts the central nervous system and becomes extremely dangerous when combined with other substances.
The Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) sent out a public health advisory on May 31, warning of medetomidine as a new threat to the American drug supply. The OASAS reported that the drug’s effects are heightened when combined with opioids, resulting in slowed heart rate, breathing, high or low blood pressure, poor blood circulation, and heart failure. This dangerous drug was first observed in the U.S. in Maryland in 2022 and has since spread to other states including Missouri, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and California.
Community drug-checking programs can be found in various locations outside of Syracuse and Schenectady such as Albany, the Bronx, Hauppauge, Ithaca, Johnson City, Plattsburgh, Utica and Watertown. These programs utilize spectroscopy machines and test strips to identify residual substances in order to detect and prevent harm from dangerous drugs in the community. It is important for individuals to be aware of this new threat and take precautions when using drugs.
