Officials in Vermont's largest city are urging the state to crack down on dealers who sell fentanyl, the powerful painkiller responsible for many drug overdoses.
Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo said Wednesday officers often respond to between four and eight overdoses within a two-week span, including two fatalities in the past month.
Fentanyl is a synthetic drug that is about 25 to 50 times more potent than heroin.
The Burlington Free Press reports addicts frequently seek fentanyl because they want to achieve a greater high. It's also less expensive for drug dealers to manufacture and sell at a high price.
A bill pending in the Vermont Legislature would create penalties for fentanyl possession and distribution, but its prospects in the current session are uncertain.
