PORT ANGELES — The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office is warning about a dangerous new drug found in the local fentanyl supply.
A recent crime lab report confirmed medetomidine — also known as “rhino tranq” — mixed into a substance believed to be fentanyl. It’s the first time the drug has been identified in Clallam County.
Officials say the sedative can make overdoses more severe and harder to treat, with longer-lasting effects and more intense withdrawal symptoms. Users may not know it’s present.
The alert follows a national warning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the drug’s growing presence in illegal fentanyl.
Authorities say the goal is awareness, not endorsement — and urge anyone struggling with substance use to call 9-8-8 for help.