A deadly heroin blend that authorities say is to blame for 22 recent overdose deaths in the western part of the state has not shown up yet in Dauphin or Cumberland counties, local officials said Saturday.

Ed Marsico

Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico said past investigations have shown drug dealers in his jurisdiction typically receive their product from Philadelphia or New York — not from the Pittsburgh area.

Nonetheless, Marsico said word has spread quickly in law enforcement circles about the recent overdose deaths. Some are being attributed to a heroin named “Sky High,” which authorities believe may include a deadly mix of heroin and fentanyl, a powerful synthetic morphine.

“We’re all aware of what happened in Allegheny County,” Marsico said. “We’re hopeful that we don’t see that come here.”

Cumberland County Coroner Charles Hall also said there is no evidence yet to suggest the same deadly blend of heroin has made its way to the midstate.

Hall said his office so far this year has investigated a handful of suspected heroin overdose deaths, but he’s still waiting on toxicology reports to confirm that heroin was involved in those cases.

Hall and Marsico both said local heroin use has been on the rise in recent years and they offered a similar explanation for why it is an increasingly popular drug. They said users often start with prescription drugs, such as Oxycodone, and turn to heroin later because it’s cheaper and more easily accessible.

“We believe a lot of it is tied to the use of prescription drugs,” Marsico said. “Heroin is at epidemic proportions across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We’re seeing increased use. It’s more pure than it was 25 years ago and it’s cheaper than it was.”

Lebanon County authorities announced last June that six overdoses, including one death, in a two-week span were tied to the use of fentanyl. The drug is an opiate analgesic that is similar to morphine, but more potent, according to The National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Authorities in Lebanon could not be reached for comment Saturday to confirm whether they have continued to see fentanyl overdoses in recent months.

But Lebanon County Coroner Jeffrey Yocum said at a June news conference that fentanyl, if ingested the same way as heroin, will quickly lead to death. Hall took a similar view as he explained why overdoses have been on the rise.

“What happens is the drug dealers aren’t cutting the heroin as much as they used to,” Hall said. “These addicts shoot up the same amount they always did and it’s more pure. That’s how they end up overdosing.”

State Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced Thursday the arrest of Tywon Laniel Newby, 39, of Allegheny County, who is accused of selling heroin under the name “Sky High.”

Investigators believe drug dealers may be “rebranding” the heroin under that name now that other names, such as “Theraflu” and “Bud Ice,” have been widely reported as being extremely dangerous.

The Allegheny County medical examiner told the Associated Press he has tied 14 deaths to the fentanyl and heroin mixture.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey has also called on the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to help identity the source of the tainted heroin and remove it from the streets.