Too little antidote?

Death drug: nasal spray saves police officers’ lives

The death drug fentanyl is now killing tens of thousands of people every year.(Bild: Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection / picturedesk.com)

Even touching or inhaling the drug fentanyl can be fatal - and so the police are now relying on an antidote. "But in too small quantities," say staff representatives.

"The deadliest drug threat to our country" - warned the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Every seven minutes, someone in the USA dies from a fentanyl overdose. Experts predict that the "zombie drug" is gradually creeping into Europe. But the opioid, which is actually produced artificially as a painkiller and is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin, is not only a danger to users. Fentanyl also poses a deadly danger to police officers.