Government officials have belatedly raised the alarm about a narcotic causing overdose deaths in several American cities, a problem that began several months ago. The deaths have occurred from mixtures of cocaine or heroin and fentanyl, a powerful narcotic often prescribed for pain management.

More than 60 people have died from fentanyl drug combinations in Chicago according to local police, and 100 have died in Detroit. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis have also been affected by fentanyl, which started appearing in these cities as early as September 2005.

In June 2006, Dr. H. Westley Clark, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), issued an open letter to treatment professionals about the overdose deaths. He urged people who work in substance abuse treatment and prevention to educate their clients about fentanyl and asked them to "bring this critical information to first responders, emergency room personnel, street substance abuse workers, drug treatment facilities, local health care providers, the recovery community, and the public at large." The letter was accompanied by a fact sheet detailing how to prevent, detect and treat fentanyl overdose.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has gotten involved as well, and is hosting a two-day strategy meeting this week in Chicago. In addition to addressing trafficking and enforcement issues, the meeting will include discussion of naloxone, a drug that can be administered to reverse the effects of opiate overdose, as well as local protocols for dealing with overdose outbreaks.