Berkshire DA Warning Drug Users Of Fentanyl Laced Drug Supply

The Berkshire District Attorney's Office is sending out a warning to people that are using drugs such as cocaine and others, that law enforcement has been finding through toxicology and drug testing that drugs such as cocaine have very often been found to contain Fentanyl.

Drug users may not suspect that their drug of choice is laced with Fentanyl...

The drug testing has been done as the Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force and the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit have been responding to recent fatal and non-fatal drug overdoes. The District Attorney's office warns that users of these drugs may not be expecting that they are laced with Fentanyl and that is of great concern.

The Berkshire District Attorney's Office says that those using cocaine and other drugs should use fentanyl test strips. The office also says that drug users should never use alone.

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Those reporting overdoses need not fear prosecution...

The DA's Office says that those who report overdoses are protected by the Good Samaritan Law. They don't have to fear being prosecuted for drug possession because of the protections provided by the law.

The office encourages all residents to learn the signs of overdose and act immediately - call 911, administer naloxone, perform rescue breathing, and stay with the person until help arrives.

Data released by the Department of Public Health in 2021 shows an 8.8 percent increase in fatal overdoses across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that the drugs most often found in these cases are cocaine and fentanyl. You can find the data, HERE.

Resources are available at the Berkshire Overdose Addiction Prevention Collaborative website.