You may have heard talk about ‘Gray Death’, known as a particularly lethal opioid cocktail. But what is gray death and how concerned should you be?
The opioid crisis in the US has been a major issue for years now. In spite of extensive media coverage and promises from every politician up for election, it has only gotten worse. However, because it can be such a frightening topic, it is sometimes difficult to discern truth from fiction.
Often, what you hear is a mix of both. An example of this is the fear around fentanyl. While it is an extremely potent substance that leads to many overdose deaths, reports that simply touching it could kill you turned out to be an exaggeration at best.
Today, ‘gray death’ is getting a lot of attention. Gray death is an opioid cocktail that is incredibly potent and dangerous. But is it something you need to worry about or has it been overblown by media hype?
Here’s what you need to know about the lethal opioid cocktail known as gray death.
What is Gray Death?
Gray death is an extremely potent and hazardous opioid cocktail, infamous for its role in opioid-related overdose deaths. It first appeared prominently around 2017 and is named for its gray, concrete-like appearance.
The composition of gray death varies, but typically includes a mix of heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and U-47700. Each of these are potent in and of themselves. Fentanyl is around 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Carfentanil is an elephant tranquilizer that is thousands of times stronger than either.
U-47700 is another synthetic opioid. Although it is significantly less potent than fentanyl and carfentanil, it is still dangerous on its own and contributes to gray death’s terrible potential for overdose.
Why is Gray Death so Dangerous?
You might think that the combination of such potent opioids is in and of itself a reason for gray death to be one of the most dangerous substances. However, there are other factors that can make it even more deadly.
Firstly, gray death can be deadly even in small volumes, making it difficult for people not to use too much. Furthermore, the contents of gray death vary from one batch to another. Most users are not aware of its exact composition, and may use too much even if it is exactly the same as what they used a previous time.
The damage dealt by gray death is also very difficult to reverse, even with multiple doses of Naloxone. For this reason, someone receiving medical attention for a gray death overdose is at far more risk than a person who overdoses on heroin or fentanyl.
Who Uses Gray Death?
But who actually uses gray death? This is where the line between reporting and reality can become blurry. You may well be skeptical of whether gray death is really all that common, considering that most people take at least some measures to protect themselves, even when struggling with drug addiction.
There are, however, two factors in play which make it difficult to determine how concerned we should be.
One factor is that reports of gray death use are somewhat localized and sporadic. There have been notable spikes in Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio, among other states, but few reports in other regions. In most areas, gray death is not being sold as an alternative to more common opioids.
It is the other factor which complicates things. Most of the time, gray death is not intentionally used. Rather, it is dealers who cut heroin and other opioids with gray death. They don’t disclose this to buyers, who are then at significant risk of accidental overdose.
Why Do Dealers Cut Heroin With Gray Death?
At first glance, this practice may seem like some kind of depraved behavior that puts buyers in huge danger. Why would dealers do such a thing?
Unfortunately, there are a number of reasons dealers mix gray death with heroin and other opioids.
- Increased Potency and Addictiveness: By combining highly potent opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil with heroin or other substances, dealers can create a product that has a more intense effect. This increased potency can make the drug more addictive, encouraging repeat purchases from users seeking a stronger high.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are cheaper and more potent than heroin, so dealers can use smaller quantities of these synthetic substances to achieve the same or stronger effects, increasing their profit margins. Mixing these substances extends the volume of product they can sell.
- Market Differentiation: Creating unique blends can differentiate a dealer’s product from others on the market. By offering something different or more potent, dealers can attract more customers, even if the increased potency comes with higher risks.
- Unpredictable Market Supply: The illegal drug market can be unpredictable, with varying availability of substances. Dealers might mix whatever substances they have available to maintain a consistent supply, even if this results in highly dangerous combinations.
In short, gray death solves a number of practical issues for dealers while increasing their sales and lowering their expenses.
How are the Risks of Gray Death Being Mitigated?
The simple reality is that political leaders in the US haven’t done enough to counter the opioid crisis. That being said, people and institutions on the ground have still had to take measures to mitigate the risks of gray death.
Law Enforcement and Gray Death
Law enforcement has dealt with the dangers of gray death in the following ways:
- Increased Regulation and Control: Many of the components of gray death, such as fentanyl and its analogs like carfentanil and U-47700, have been classified as controlled substances to help law enforcement crack down on their distribution. Efforts to track and control these substances have limited the availability of certain substances on the street.
- Enhanced Detection and Testing: Law enforcement agencies have improved their drug testing and detection methods to identify gray death components more effectively. This has included training for officers and investment in advanced technology to detect these substances during traffic stops, arrests, and in mail facilities.
- Education: Officers have been better educated in the risks of gray death. In the past, reports of fentanyl potentially leading to overdose just by touch led some officers to have panic attacks, believing themselves to be in the process of an overdose after confiscating the substance. For this reason, as well as the importance of awareness of the real dangers, increased education for officers about gray death and other opioids has been a focus.
Public Health Initiatives and Gray Death
Public health initiatives are some of the most important steps taken to prevent the use of gray death. Some of the public health initiatives include:
- Public Education Campaigns: Public health departments and non-profits have increased efforts to educate the public about the dangers of opioid use, including the risks associated with gray death. These campaigns focus on the high potential for overdose and the unpredictable nature of street drugs.
- Expansion of Treatment Programs: Increased access to addiction treatment services, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), has become a priority. This approach helps individuals addicted to opioids recover in a safe environment and reduces the likelihood of overdose.
- Naloxone Distribution: Public health organizations have pushd to increase the availability of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, to first responders, public health organizations, and even to the general public in some areas. They are also providing training on how to use naloxone to help save lives in case of overdose.
- Interagency Collaboration: The response to gray death has necessitated collaboration between sectors, including public health, law enforcement, and policy specialists.
What is the Outlook on the Future of Gray Death?
The outlook on the future of gray death is murky, as is the case with the opioid crisis as a whole. It is clear that measures taken to curtail use of opioids have had limited success at best. The problem is not necessarily with how public health organizations are operating, but may be related to societal and political attitudes towards opioid use.
Unfortunately, many people still do not understand that drug addiction is an illness. Instead of treating the underlying issue by improving access to treatments such as rehab and other mental health services, officials have focused on outlawing substances and increasing law enforcement.
The reality is that we’ve seen that this approach does not work. Addicts go to great lengths to procure substances. Often, the increased focus on law enforcement only leads to dealers and buyers settling for synthetic substances and dangerous cocktails.
There is no quick fix for the dangers of gray death or the opioid crisis as a whole. Rather, education is key, along with the combined efforts of public health organizations, non-profits, and private mental health providers.
Sources
Addiction Center: Gray Death. Accessed 15 May 2024
Inspire Malibu: Gray Death: The Latest and Deadliest of Heroin Cocktails. Accessed 15 May 2024
SAMHSA: Overdose Prevention and Response. Accessed 15 May 2024