#TestIt Alert: Off-white powder sold in Chicago, IL as heroin but actually contains diphenhydramine, quinine, and fentanyl

By: Rachel Clark, DanceSafe Contractor A purple bag of off-white powder was sold in Chicago, IL as heroin, but actually contains diphenhydramine, quinine, and fentanyl. The sample was submitted from Chicago, IL.  The sample turned orange/yellow in the presence of the Marquis reagent, yellow in the presence of the Mecke reagent, and light brown in the presence of the Mandelin reagent.  Diphenhydramine is Benadryl, an antihistamine that induces drowsiness. The sedating effects of diphenhydramine may increase the risk of opioid overdose due to respiratory depression.  Fentanyl is active in minute quantities, which has made it a nationally-recognized contributor to the opioid crisis due...

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#TestIt Alert: Baggie of blue powder sold in New Bedford, MA as oxycodone/Percocet, but actually contains carfentanil and diphenhydramine

By: Rachel Clark, DanceSafe Contractor A baggie of blue powder was sold in New Bedford, MA as oxycodone/Percocet, but actually contains carfentanil and diphenhydramine. The sample was submitted from Boston, MA.  The sample turned yellow in the presence of the Marquis reagent, yellow in the presence of the Mecke reagent, and did not react in the presence of the Mandelin reagent.  Carfentanil is one of the most powerful known opioids, with a potency of approximately 100 times that of fentanyl and 10,000 times that of morphine. A lethal dose is thought to be approximately 0.02mg (about the size of a grain of...

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#TestIt Alert: Substance in unspecified form sold in Knoxville, TN as heroin but actually contains caffeine, diphenhydramine, an unidentified chemical, acetaminophen, and fentanyl

By: Rachel Clark, Private Contractor Two pieces of cotton soaked in the residue from a spoon and cooker that were used to inject a sample sold as heroin were submitted from Knoxville, TN, and were found to contain caffeine, diphenhydryamine (Benadryl), an unidentified chemical, acetaminophen, and fentanyl.  The sample turned brown in the presence of the Marquis reagent, brown in the presence of the Mecke reagent, and didn’t react (though, due to the color of the submission, may have turned black) in the presence of the Mandelin reagent.  Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive substance. It produces a multi-hour stimulation,...

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