CHICAGO (CBS) – Chicago community well being officials are urging people attending Lollapalooza this weekend to be careful and exam their medicines for fentanyl, a highly effective synthetic opioid.

The Chicago Division of General public Overall health posted an notify on its social media accounts warning Lollapalooza admirers that fentanyl can very easily lead to an overdose. Fentanyl can be identified in cocaine, MDMA, and other prescription drugs, not just heroin. The section also encouraged the general public to not use medicines by on their own.

CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady tackled the situation at a news meeting on Wednesday.

“We often see, and have for a long time, younger persons who show up at festivals typically are emotion pretty free of charge and normally experiment, in some conditions, with illicit substances,” Arwady explained. “The issue is that so many of people illicit substances now are laced with fentanyl.”

She said fentanyl can be especially perilous for people who do not routinely use opioids.

Arwady added that CDPH has already distributed hundreds of countless numbers of fentanyl take a look at strips which can detect fentanyl in a different material.

She explained each 12 months for the duration of the Lollapalooza competition, the city sees a “surge” of men and women, primarily young men and women, coming into emergency departments because of overdoses.

“Just about every year we see younger men and women conclusion up admitted to the hospital since they experimented at a time when we truly just want people to have exciting, but have entertaining safely,” she said.

The office mentioned take a look at strips for fentanyl and Narcan, a medication utilized to reverse opioid overdoses, are available by emailing [email protected] or by viewing a Chicago Public Library.

If you or a loved 1 is struggling with a substance use problem and would like support, connect with the Illinois Helpline at 833-234-6343 or stop by