Gray death is a street name for an illicit, extraordinarily potent drug combination that typically contains synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and its analogs. While these drugs are extremely potent and dangerous on their own, combining them amplifies their effects even more. Therefore, gray death can be lethal almost instantaneously.
Keep reading to learn more about gray death and discover how ANR Clinic can help you overcome opioid dependence safely and effectively within days.
What Is Gray Death?
Gray death is a life-threatening mixture of highly potent illicit drugs, usually synthetic opioids. It first appeared in the Southern United States—primarily Alabama and Georgia—in 2017.
This extremely powerful and perilous drug cocktail got its name from its appearance and lethal effects. The color of gray death ranges from gray to silvery and ashen, whereas its texture can vary from a fine powder to chunks or rocks. Due to its color and texture, it closely resembles concrete mixing powder and is also sometimes found in the form of pills.
Gray death is comprised of various illicit drugs; its composition varies between batches, as manufacturers make it with whatever they have available at the time. Sometimes, stimulants like cocaine or amphetamine are also added to this mixture.
Some drugs commonly found in gray death include:
- Heroin, a semi-synthetic illicit opioid
- U-47700, an illicit synthetic opioid known as “pink heroin”
- Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid prescribed for severe pain that has become a popular and extremely deadly street drug
- Carfentanil, a fentanyl analog used as a tranquilizer for elephants and other large animals
Each of these opioids is more potent than the next. For example, fentanyl is 50 times more powerful than heroin, whereas carfentanil can be 100 times more potent than fentanyl. For a closer look at how these latter two opioids compare, refer to our article on Carfentanil vs Fentanyl.
Using each of these drugs on their own is extremely dangerous; fentanyl overdoses alone make up nearly 53% of all overdose deaths. Needless to say, combining them significantly amplifies the risk of an opioid overdose. Because of its extraordinary potency, gray death can cause a fatal overdose within seconds of consumption.
How Is Gray Death Used?
Gray death is used intravenously, nasally, or orally. In other words, it can be injected, snorted, smoked, or taken as a pill.
While all methods of consumption can have fatal consequences, injecting gray death is particularly dangerous. It causes the drug to rapidly enter the bloodstream, leading to an even faster onset of action. Furthermore, it also exposes users to the risk of bloodborne diseases, including HIV/AIDS.
Why Is Gray Death So Dangerous?
Gray death is so dangerous because it contains a mix of extremely potent drugs in varying amounts. In other words, rather than a single substance, it is a cocktail of drugs that may interact with one another in unpredictable and often life-threatening ways.
Knowing the exact composition of gray death is virtually impossible—this drug is not regulated and can be made with any substances available to the manufacturer. It is also often sold as heroin or another street drug. Tragically, some users are unaware they’re consuming something even more powerful and deadly.
Mixing opioids is never recommended, as this amplifies their depressant effects, enhancing the risk of respiratory depression and overdose. Some batches of gray death may also contain stimulants, further increasing the risk of adverse effects. Speedballing—or mixing opioids and stimulants—overwhelms the central nervous system since these drugs have opposite effects.
Using gray death exposes you to the dangers of carfentanil, fentanyl, and other drugs included in the mix all at once. Unfortunately, this means that it can cause an overdose almost instantaneously, even in tiny doses.
Between January and April 2017, at least 50 incidents involved gray death in Georgia alone. Worse yet, gray death overdoses claimed the lives of 17 people within these four months.
Side Effects of Using Gray Death
The side effects of using gray death can be unpredictable, as they may differ from one batch to the next based on its composition.
A batch containing stimulants, such as cocaine, for example, may produce different side effects than one consisting of a mixture of synthetic opioids. Nonetheless, the side effects of gray death drugs often, though not always, resemble those of other opioids.
The side effects of gray death may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Mental fog
- Sluggishness
- Extreme sedation
- Trouble breathing
- Constricted pupils
Given the extreme potency of gray death, it’s hardly surprising that it can cause severe, life-threatening side effects, such as heart failure, even after a single use. It can also impair your coordination and cause tremors. Never drive or operate heavy machinery under the influence of gray death, as this may lead to accidents and injuries.
Gray death also exposes users to an extremely high risk of a potentially fatal opioid overdose, which is the most common adverse effect associated with this drug.
Can You Overdose on Gray Death?
You can overdose on gray death, and even the tiniest amount of it can be lethal. Although the exact number of gray death overdose deaths isn’t known, there have even been cases of people overdosing on this drug by just touching or inhaling it accidentally.
Chris Green, an Ohio state police officer, suffered a gray death overdose during a drug bust in 2017. In an attempt to destroy evidence, the suspects began to step on these drugs, sending their particles into the air, which is how Green got exposed to gray death. Luckily, the paramedics managed to reverse the overdose on time.
Recognizing a gray death overdose and receiving prompt medical help is vitally important, as this drug can cause a near-instantaneous death.
Common gray death drug overdose symptoms include:
- Pinpoint pupils
- Muscle weakness
- Pale or sweaty face
- Nausea and vomiting
- Cold and clammy skin
- Loss of consciousness
- Slowed, shallow breathing
- Slow or irregular heartbeat
- Skin, lip, or fingernail discoloration
- Grunting, choking, or gurgling sounds
- Difficulty speaking, moving, or staying awake
Call 911 immediately if you notice any of these signs in yourself or someone around you. When it comes to opioid overdoses, every second counts—and even more so when the overdose involves a lethal cocktail of extraordinarily powerful drugs.
How to Reverse the Effects of Gray Death
To reverse the effects of gray death, it is critical to receive prompt medical help. Administering naloxone (Narcan®), an opioid antagonist that reverses the effects of opioids, may restore normal breathing and reverse a gray death overdose.
However, due to the combination of different opioids and the extreme potency of this drug, multiple naloxone doses—in some cases, even up to ten—may be needed to reverse its effects.
Furthermore, gray death variations that include non-opioid drugs, such as stimulants or benzodiazepines, may be resistant to Narcan®. Therefore, even timely naloxone administration may not grant a second chance at life to some people. Nonetheless, Narcan® currently remains the best option to treat a gray death overdose.
Given that gray death exposure can be deadly and the reversal of its effects isn’t guaranteed even with several doses of naloxone, it’s in your best interest to steer clear of this drug. Never buy drugs on the streets, as you never know what exactly you’re getting. Worst-case scenario, you may unknowingly purchase gray death or another highly potent drug.
Gray Death and the Opioid Epidemic Crisis
Gray death poses distinct challenges in addressing the opioid epidemic crisis, primarily due to its unpredictable composition and potency. Still, there’s a lack of information on the prevalence of gray death and its overdose rates.
While gray death can include different substances in its composition, it is often made with heroin and fentanyl. These opioids were the catalysts behind the second and third waves of the U.S. opioid crisis, respectively. Combining them substantially increases the risk of an opioid overdose, which has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Meanwhile, the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic is driven by the combination of stimulants and opioids, which is sometimes found in gray death, too. Treating overdoses involving both stimulants and opioids is even more difficult than reversing a typical opioid overdose, as naloxone doesn’t reverse the effects of cocaine, amphetamine, or other stimulants.
Worse yet, gray death poses a threat not only to users but also to law enforcement, first responders, and even the public, as accidental exposure to it can cause a potentially fatal overdose.
In fact, gray death has caused law enforcement and DEA agents to become hesitant to respond to overdose calls, as they fear that saving other people’s lives may cost them their own.
ANR Treatment for Opioid Dependence
Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) is a revolutionary opioid dependence treatment developed by Dr. Andre Waismann. Unlike traditional methods, it addresses the root of the problem instead of merely managing its symptoms.
ANR approaches opioid dependence treatment from a scientifically-based medical perspective. It re-regulates the endorphin-receptor system, reversing opioid-induced changes. In doing so, this ultra-modern treatment eliminates opioid withdrawal symptoms, negating the risk of relapse.
At ANR Clinic, patient safety is our top priority. Therefore, ANR procedure is performed strictly in an ICU setting of fully accredited hospitals by a team of highly experienced board-certified medical professionals.
Benefits of Undergoing ANR Treatment
Here are some of the key benefits of undergoing ANR treatment:
- Safety. ANR is scientifically proven to be safe and effective. Since the treatment plan is tailored to each patient, this treatment can be safely performed on virtually everyone, even those with co-occurring medical conditions. Plus, ANR doesn’t involve any potentially addictive opioid-replacement drugs, such as Suboxone®.
- Effectiveness. By rebalancing the endorphin-receptor system, ANR treatment eradicates opioid dependence altogether. As the first and only method that addresses the neurobiological root of dependence, ANR boasts an unmatched success rate; it has facilitated the recovery of almost 25,000 people worldwide.
- Short treatment duration. ANR can help you return to an opioid-free life within a matter of days.
To learn more about ANR, contact us today for a free, 100% confidential consultation.
Key Takeaways
If there’s one thing you should take away from this article, it’s that this powerful compound isn’t called “gray death” for nothing—its name denotes its lethal potential.
Given that this drug can cause an overdose even through accidental exposure, it’s in your best interest to avoid contact with any unknown substances resembling concrete powder.
Now, let’s reiterate the key points we covered:
- Heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, and U-47700 are among the most common ingredients in gray death, though its composition may vary widely between batches.
- Some variations of gray death may be resistant to naloxone; nonetheless, it is critical to call 911 as soon as you notice pinpoint pupils, slowed breathing, and other overdose signs.
- ANR is an innovative treatment that can help you break the chains of opioid dependence by restoring your nervous system to its pre-dependence state.
Gray Death FAQ
Gray death addiction can be treated with professional help. Getting opioid addiction treatment is of vital importance to anyone taking this drug, as you’re putting your life on the line each time you use it; many people overdose the first time they take it. ANR can help you conquer opioid dependence safely, quickly, and without having to experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
Gray death is more dangerous than heroin. All street drugs, be it heroin or counterfeit oxycodone, are extremely dangerous. However, gray death typically contains a cocktail of exceptionally powerful drugs, amplifying the risk of overdose and death. By any means, this doesn’t mean heroin is safe. It simply tends to be less potent than gray death.
Touching gray death can be dangerous. In 2017, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation alerted law enforcement and the public to use caution when handling U-47700 or furanylfentanyl—opioids that may be found in the composition of gray death, as they can be absorbed through the skin and have fatal consequences even in minuscule doses.
Gray death is gaining popularity because of its low cost, ease of manufacture, and potency. This ultra-potent mixture is cheap and easy to make—manufacturers can produce it with any combination of drugs they have on hand.
