8 times more potent than morphine: Wisconsin legislator wants to ban synthetic form of heroin

MADISON — A Wisconsin legislator says he plans to introduce a bill outlawing a new synthetic drug.


Rep. Joel Kleefisch, an Oconomowoc Republican, said Wednesday that he plans to introduce a measure banning the sale and possession of U-47700, a synthetic opiod.

The drug is nearly eight times more potent than morphine and has been linked to at least 50 deaths nationwide. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling says U-47700 has killed two people in his county.

Kleefisch says the chemicals in the drug mirror heroin but are different enough that it's stayed off Wisconsin's controlled substances list.

The next legislative session begins in January. Before he can introduce his bill Kleefisch will have to survive a re-election challenge from Marshall Democrat Scott Michalak in November.