Ohio bulletin issued for new, deadly drug combinations

(The Center Square) – Mixtures of powerful drugs that can cause overdoses or skin wounds are being found more often in illicit drug samples throughout Ohio, according to the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center.

The agency recently issued a safety bulletin to alert Ohioans of what it calls “tranq-dope” and “benzo-dope” after state labs reported an eight-fold increase in drug samples in one and double the number in the other between 2021 and 2023.

Tranq-dope is a mixture of opioids and sedatives, while benzo-dope is a combination of opioids and benzodiazepines. Officials say the mixtures have been seen in several forms, including counterfeit pills, powder and rocks.

From 2017–22, 58% of drug poisoning deaths in Ohio involved a mixture of illicit drugs, the center said.

“Part of the reason to issue this bulletin is the fact that naloxone may be less effective for someone experiencing an overdose caused by tranq-dope or benzo-dope,” said Cynthia Peterman, ONIC executive director. “Reversing the effects of a drug poisoning in those cases may require multiple doses of naloxone. These are extremely dangerous drug mixtures, and every Ohioan needs to be aware of the danger.”

Common drugs often mixed with tranq-dope or benzo-dope in Ohio include:

• Opioids such as fentanyl/fentanyl analogues, heroin, nitazene, and oxycodone.

• Sedatives such as xylazine, medetomidine, ketamine and detomidine.

• Benzodiazepines such as bromazolam, alprazolam, clonazepam and flualprazolam.

The intelligence center, which began in 2019, is a specialized criminal intelligence unit that helps local law enforcement with intelligence-driven drug trafficking investigations. Criminal intelligence analysts and computer forensic specialists provide investigative, analytical, and digital forensic support to local law enforcement agencies and drug task forces throughout Ohio.