DPS NEWS

Recent Spice Overdoses Have Emergency Responders on Alert

Four spice overdoses have been reported in the Rio Grande district in a four-day period this month, which have emergency responders on alert. The overdoses were due to the use of spice, however, medical teams used Naloxone to save each patient. Naloxone typically only works when used on patients who have used an opioid. But, all four patients reported only using spice.

Because of this, law enforcement and medical professionals are concerned that there may have been an unintentional mixture of opioids mixed with spice, a cross contamination of opioids occurring during manufacturing or the four individuals did take an opioid prior to the use of spice. Because of this, the Department of Public Safety’s Statewide Information and Analysis Center (SIAC) has issued an alert to law enforcement and emergency responders to be on the look out and use caution when around spice. Exposure to an unknown opioid could be dangerous.

This information was passed along to the SIAC by Salt Lake City Police and Fire Department.

If you have any information or know of any other cases, please contact the SIAC at 801-256-2360.