Dangerous new heroin mixtures — nearly 100 times more powerful than morphine — are popping up all over greater Cleveland and has forced first responders to arm themselves with Naxolone to ensure they won't overdose while helping someone else who is.
However, most of the heroin mixtures are resistant to its widely used antidote.
The deadly mixtures are changing the fight. Experts told News 5 it's not just a heroin problem anymore.
"There's one analog of fentanyl that's 10,000 times more powerful than heroin," Lorain County Drug Taskforce Detective Jim Larkin said.
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There are more than 45 types of fentanyl. Forms, like Acrylfentanyl, a highly potent opioid pain reliever is showing up in cities across Ohio.
"There's new stuff coming out," Stark County Investigator Rick Walters said. "Stuff we never dreamt we would see."
The abuse of drugs, especially fentanyl mixes has been a thorn in the sides of law enforcement officials, politicians and families as it continues to dismantle communities and force efforts to be strengthened.
And while some forms of fentanyl have legitimate uses, in medicine or veterinary care, many of these new forms labs are finding have no purpose.
Now first responders, investigators, and doctors have been forced to carry Narcan for themselves in case they ingest the drug and overdose.
"Everyone has to have their own Narcan," Larkin said. "If I go down, I can't give myself the Narcan."
Heroin has required policing to change due to the variety of the drug mixtures and its potency. Some of the mixtures are so strong, users don't know what they're getting and neither to investigators or medical professionals.
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Some of the mixtures are resistant to Naloxone — heroin's antidote — it takes 10 or more doses just to try to save someone.
"We're not even supposed to field test it anymore because we don't know if it's mixed with fentanyl," Larkin said. "If it is, it will go right through our skin," Larkin said.
The DEA and the First Responders Association both issuing warnings about dangerous fentanyls because no one knows what they're dealing with anymore.
