New data finds 22 substances found in street drugs since September in Edgecombe County

The Edgecombe County Community Paramedic Program discovered a list of 22 substances found in street drugs since September. As a result, healthcare professionals are raising awareness about the danger.

On the list of 22 substances, many of them are unrecognizable. Others are more common, like caffeine or fentanyl. When mixed with another drug, some can be deadly.

Dalton Barrett, program manager at Community Paramedic Program, said some drug users are shocked to hear the discovery.

“It is very interesting to the people who are in active use,” Barrett said.

Barrett works to address substance use through the paramedic program that was started last year.

Since September, he's been working with UNC-Chapel Hill to test samples of drugs recovered.

“It’s really helped a lot of people decrease their overall use because of how scary this stuff is.” Barrett said.

In Edgecombe County, there were 224 overdoses in 2023. Barrett is working with other healthcare professionals to lower that number.

Savannah Junkins of the Carolina Family Health Center told WRAL she lets her patients know they may not be taking what they think.

"We have patients who ask us each time we they are here...'do you have any new results?" Junkins said.

Junkins said the data helps deter some people from using.

"We've had a lot of success with showing our patients those results. [We] say...'we know we are working on this substance use disorder, but you should also know there are some other contaminants you may not have realized.’”

Junkins said she finds many people she works with want to share the information with other people who may be struggling.

"The thing that always strikes me is how much they want to protect others,” she said.

In addition to educating people about their findings, the paramedic program also offers Narcan training and blood testing. More information can be found here.