Jacksonville police are sounding the alarm after a rash of drug emergencies in the city, including multiple near-fatal overdoses and one confirmed death tied to an unknown white substance being sold locally. In a public service announcement issued Friday, the department described the batch as "bad dope" and said officers still do not know exactly what is in it. Pulaski County deputies are working alongside Jacksonville police, and authorities are urging residents not to handle suspicious drugs and to call 911 immediately if someone appears to be overdosing.
Police warn about 'bad dope' linked to multiple overdoses
In its alert, Jacksonville Police Department said officers had responded to several near-fatal overdoses and at least one death that investigators tied to an unknown white powder being sold in the area. According to Jacksonville Police Department’s Facebook post, law enforcement believes the substance is a mixed drug with an unknown composition and is working to track down and pull any remaining product off the street. The department stressed that anyone experiencing or witnessing a suspected overdose should call 911 without delay.
Why mixed street drugs are especially dangerous
Illicit street supplies are increasingly laced with synthetic opioids and other high-potency chemicals, which means powder bought as one drug can quietly contain a lethal dose of something else. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that fentanyl and fentanyl analogs are often mixed into powders and counterfeit pills and that naloxone can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose when it is given in time.
A grim reminder on Black Balloon Day and local harm-reduction work
The Jacksonville alert landed on Black Balloon Day, a national day of remembrance for people lost to overdoses that is marked each year on March 6. Black Balloon Day is observed across the country, according to Overdose Lifeline, and this year it arrives as statewide efforts to expand naloxone access continue to ramp up. The Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership has been distributing funds and naloxone to community partners and training programs in Pulaski County, per Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership.
How to recognize and respond to an overdose
Warning signs of an opioid overdose include breathing that has slowed or stopped, a person who will not wake up or respond, and lips or fingernails that appear bluish. If you suspect an overdose, call 911 immediately. If naloxone is available, administer it and provide rescue breathing if you are trained to do so. The CDC notes that fentanyl test strips can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of unknowingly using drugs that contain fentanyl.
Investigation continues - police ask for tips
Jacksonville police say they and Pulaski County deputies are actively investigating to find whoever is supplying the white substance and to get any remaining batches out of circulation. Authorities are asking anyone with information about the sale or distribution of the drug to contact Jacksonville police, and they continue to urge residents to call 911 for any overdose emergency.
Residents looking for naloxone training or free kits can find local resources through UAMS programs and the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership, which list training and distribution partners across Pulaski County. For more information about training opportunities and state efforts, see UAMS and the Arkansas Opioid Recovery Partnership.
