Fentanyl is claiming the lives of more people than ever not just nationwide, but here in Riverside County. Nationally, overdose deaths among adolescents more than doubled from 2010 to 2021, according to a study published in JAMA, and rose another 20% in the first 6 months of 2021. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are the primary driver of these deaths. Riverside County had the largest increase over the 10-year period, with death rates increasing 51.8% (from 10.0 to 15.2 per 100,000). Comparatively, drug overdose death rates in the U.S. and California increased 33.9% (from 12.9 to 17.2 per 100,000) and 14.8% (from 11.2 to 12.8 per 100,000) respectively.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is an opioid used as a prescription painkiller, usually in the form of a patch or a pill. It can also be used in anesthesia. Fentanyl is a sedative and slows breathing and heart rates.
What is a lethal dose of fentanyl?
It is really unknown the lethal dose because pills and people are different. Others have a tolerance, while some are entirely opiate naive, with no physical dependency. We do know that the smallest dose can be deadly, especially for someone who doesn’t take opioids regularly.
Most recent overdoses are not a result of pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl in prescription doses. Rather, the drug is being imported in pills that resemble prescription medication and include other substances such as heroin or Xanax, a brand of anxiety medication. Many overdoses have been the result of people who assume they’re taking prescription medication in a safe dose and end up consuming a mix of lethal drugs. There are also countless overdose victims who sought to buy an opiate such as vicodin, or cocaine, or a benzodiazepine and were sold fentanyl, or a pill that was cut with fentanyl instead. Riverside County DA’s office has done an amazing job beginning to prosecute dealers in such cases with murder charges, however the problem continues.
How can you identify a counterfeit pill?
According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, many counterfeit pills are made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and alprazolam (Xanax); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall). Others are imprinted with “M30” and known as “Blues” or “Oxy 30s.”
Bottom line: Never trust yourself(or a friend) to determine if a pill is legitimate. The only safe medications are those prescribed by a trusted medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist.
How can you tell if someone has overdosed, and what should you do?
If the person’s breathing and heart rate have slowed, their pupils are small, and they don’t respond to your voice, call 9-1-1 immediately. Fentanyl is fast-acting, especially if it’s snorted.
Then, if it’s available, administer naloxone, a medication sold under the brand name Narcan that rapidly reverses the effect of opioids. Unfortunately, in many cases the Narcan will not be enough to bring them back and the person will still succumb to the effects of the Fentanyl.
How can you obtain naloxone?
Naloxone is available by prescription at most pharmacies and is provided at no cost by some community organizations, such as needle exchange programs.
If you are using drugs or in a social group where using is prevalent, having the drug on hand can be necessary in saving lives.
The importance of empathy
With young people at a more increased risk than ever, it is crucial to acknowledge that teens may experiment with drugs, while also educating them about the prevalence of fentanyl, even when unintended.
Letting adolescents, and even adults know, that they’re not alone and that if they reach out for help, they’re not going to get in trouble or be met with judgement is so important. Increased awareness, discussion and knowledge about the help available is paramount to helping combat this true epidemic.