Nationwide Public Health Alert
Life-Threatening Risk Posed by Cocaine Laced with Veterinary Anti-Parasite Drug
SAMHSA is alerting medical professionals, substance abuse treatment centers, and other public health authorities about the risk that substantial levels of cocaine may be adulterated with levamisole--a veterinary anti-parasitic drug.
There have been approximately 20 confirmed or probable cases of agranulocytosis (a serious, sometimes fatal blood disorder), including two deaths, associated with cocaine adulterated with levamisole. The number of reported cases is expected to increase as information about cocaine adulterated with levamisole is disseminated.