"Just be careful out there," is the message Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson has for drug users in her community after seven people in the Wairarapa were hospitalised with suspected fentanyl overdoses over the weekend. ADVERTISEMENTThe synthetic opioid is much more potent than morphine and is rare in New Zealand's underground drug market. READ MORE: Fentanyl overdoses - 12 hospitalised in WairarapaPatterson told 1News it is "extremely concerning" the synthetic opioid is in her community. Patterson said the region's hospital was already at capacity with Covid-19 and flu cases, so the fentanyl overdoses were putting further pressure on the local health system. ADVERTISEMENTHe explained the licit supply of the synthetic opioid in New Zealand is typically in liquid form.

Source: Stuff June 27, 2022 22:26 UTC