http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/16/health/police-fentanyl-overdose-trnd/
A police officer in East Liverpool, Ohio, collapsed and was rushed to the hospital after he brushed fentanyl residue off his uniform, allowing the drug to enter his system through his hands. The officer had apparently encountered the opioid earlier in the day while making a drug bust.
"This is scary. He could have walked out of the building and left and he could have passed out while he was driving. You don't even know it's there on his clothes," East Liverpool Police Chief John Lane told CNN.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday May 17 2017, @08:42PM (4 children)
Sweaty back of the hand skin could take up 500ug from dust on the clothes, though it would seem unlikely to happen by complete accident - still, with enough cops busting enough drug dealers it doesn't have to be likely to happen...
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(Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 18 2017, @08:16AM (3 children)
Accumulation below threshold and then just a small amount to tip the dose over into a effective one?
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 18 2017, @11:51AM (2 children)
I agree with the skeptics here, most likely he "tried some" and got more than he should have - but... it's not inconceivable that the dosing was completely accidental.
As you say, the final push over the pass-out threshold could have been accidentally delivered with a brush of the hand on invisible residue - with a heavier dose given earlier some other way.
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(Score: 2) by kaszz on Thursday May 18 2017, @12:06PM (1 child)
I'm thinking that the police got in touch with the substance for a long time during the work day, and then some fluke event took place. But I think the only way to really find out is likely to test if powder really can do this kind of accidental effect. Not that I think it will be done.. Maybe the police union might be interested as work related hazard?
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Thursday May 18 2017, @12:16PM
I don't doubt that it can be done - LSD and other skin-absorbable drugs can dose and overdose like that - the question might be: can it be done with a small accidental, hard to notice exposure, or do you have to basically bathe in it?
Also, powder in the air? Certainly easier to get into the bloodstream that way.
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