Tangipahoa Parish issues Public Safety Alert due to ‘Green Fentanyl’ emergence

TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. (WGNO) — A Public Safety Alert was issued by the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 13 in regard to the emergence of “Green Fentanyl” on the Northshore and Greater New Orleans area.

According to the TPSO, this type of fentanyl was seized in recent investigations across the region and can pose a “significant and immediate threat to public health and safety.”

TPSO officials want to ensure that the public knows three important details about “Green Fentanyl”: the appearance, extreme potency and rising overdoses.

TPSO officials said that the appearance of “Green Fentanyl” varies in the color of green and has the “consistency of sidewalk chalk, gel or a tar-like form.” This substance can be mistaken for marijuana or other less potent drugs, according to the TPSO.

Fentanyl is a very potent opioid, and TPSO deputies said a lethal dose for an adult can be as low as “two milligrams, the equivalent of just two grains of salt.”

According to the TPSO, “Green Fentanyl” was linked to a recent spike in opioid-related emergency calls on the Northshore, which generated the drug warning in Tangipahoa Parish.

It is integral to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, and if you witness someone displaying the signs, TPSO deputies say to call 911 immediately and administer naloxone, a life-saving medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, if available.

These are the following signs of an opioid overdose:

• Severe sleepiness or the person cannot be woken up
• Breathing is slow or not present
• Snoring or gurgling noises
• Cold, clammy skin
• Blue or grey lips and fingers
• Pupils are tiny

TPSO officials want to inform the public that they work alongside Operation Angel, a program that offers help to individuals struggling with addiction to go to the sheriff’s office to seek treatment free of charge and without fear of consequences.

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