Cocaine laced with opioids leaves two Sydneysiders dead

Recreational drug users are being warned of cocaine circulating on Sydney's streets that is laced with potentially deadly levels of opioids.

NSW Health authorities confirmed in the past two months, two people have died from using cocaine laced with opioids among 11 admitted to hospital with signs of overdose.

Dr Darren Roberts, the Medical Director at NSW Poisons Information Centre, said hospitals had seen an increase in deaths and intensive care admissions associated with cocaine use, but concerning levels of heroin were also found in patient's systems.

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"An opioid overdose could quickly result from snorting a single line," Dr Roberts said.

"It's important that people recognise the signs of an opioid overdose early and know how to respond.

"Opioids can cause drowsiness, loss of consciousness and slowed breathing and can be life-threatening."

Dr Roberts said a danger of illicit drug supply is the concentration and type of substance is unknown and can be inconsistent.

He suggested people who choose to use cocaine recreationally should carry Naloxone, a medication which can reverse the effects of opioids and is available free and without a prescription for anyone who may be at risk of opioid overdose in NSW.

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Serious side-effects of using a drug laced with an opioid such as heroin include loss of consciousness, breathing difficulty and skin turning blue.

As cocaine is a stimulant drug, people should also be on the lookout for symptoms such as drowsiness after taking the drug.

According to a recent report from the Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing, cocaine use in Australia was at its highest level in almost 20 years, with the majority of users being men.