PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force and the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit report that it is finding an increased amount of fentanyl in various drugs that recreational users may not be expecting. 

 

Law enforcement responding to recent overdoses, both fatal and non-fatal, are discovering through toxicology and drug testing that fentanyl is present more frequently in cocaine products and drugs purported to be prescription but are not, according to information from the Berkshire District Attorney's Office.

 

The recent findings in Berkshire County are consistent with statewide trends. The state Department of Public Health released 2021 data, which showed an 8.8 percent increase in fatal overdoses statewide. The report indicates that fentanyl and cocaine are the most commonly present substances in fatal overdoses.

 

The District Attorney's Office reminds people using drugs to be careful with intake, use fentanyl test strips, and never use alone. 

 

The office encourages all residents to learn the signs of overdose and act immediately: call 911, administer naloxone, perform rescue breathing, and stay with the person until help arrives.

 

The Good Samaritan Law protects those who report overdoses from arrest and prosecution for drug possession.

 

The Berkshire Overdose Addiction Prevention Collaborative provides the contact information for several local resources providing harm reduction, recovery support, Narcan training and distribution, case management, and youth programming on their website.