Six West Point cadets have been hospitalised following a drug overdose while on spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with one person in a critical condition.
Police and first responders were called to a holiday rental in nearby Wilton Manors on Thursday evening after a report of six people who were ill from an overdose of cocaine laced with fentanyl.
The opioid is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) caused about 100,000 deaths from overdosing between 2020 and 2021.
Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Stephen Gollan told Local10 News on Thursday night that “there were multiple people in cardiac arrest in the front yard” when officers arrived at the property, with CPR performed on at least two of the spring breakers.
A medicine used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, known as Narcan or naloxone, was “issued as quickly as possible”, Mr Gollan told the news channel.
Beth Smith, a spokesperson for the US Military Academy at West Point, told CNN the college students were cadets and said the academy was investigating.
All six individuals were taken to the Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, and at least one individual was in a critical condition.
The Wilton Manors Police Department later told spring breakers to exercise caution and to “protect yourself from the dangers of fentanyl” while on vacation.
“WMPD wants to warn spring breakers about the dangers of using illicit drugs and to avoid mixing drugs with alcohol or other forms of drugs,” the message read.
Mr Gollan reportedly added that the situation was “extremely alarming to us”, with fentanyl being so potent that two first responders fell ill and were taken to the Holy Cross Hospital.
Wilton Manors police are investigating.
