74 Chicago overdoses in 72 hours: Laced heroin may be to blame

The Chicago Tribune reports:

By Friday afternoon, 14 people had been rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago in the previous 24 hours to be treated for heroin overdoses, some with the needles still stuck in their arm, according to hospital officials.

In all, nearly 75 people have overdosed in Chicago since Tuesday afternoon from dangerous batches of narcotics, possibly heroin laced with the painkiller fentanyl, according to city health and fire officials. Police were investigating if at least one recent death was caused by a heroin overdose.

"We suspect what is happening is the same thing that happened in 2006 when people were getting heroin that was cut with fentanyl, which is a very strong narcotic," said Diane Hincks, a registered nurse and emergency room director at Mount Sinai on the West Side. "That's what we think is happening."

By early Friday afternoon, emergency crews had responded to 74 cases over 72 hours, more than double the same three-day period last year, said Larry Langford, spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department.

The Obama coalition members test their hard earned health care benefits. No word yet on whether Barack Obama wants to hold a press conference on this Chicago problem. After all , it is his hometown.