Today marks the first ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day, a day of action to raise public awareness about an urgent problem: people dying at alarming rates due to illegally made fentanyl.
But what is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid many are unaware has entered the market. Fentanyl is a synthetic or “man-made” opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than other opioids like morphine and heroin.
There are two types of fentanyl: medical grade (prescribed by a doctor) and illegally made (illicit). Illegally made has been involved in the majority of U.S. drug deaths in recent years.
Fentanyl is very cheap and extremely addictive. There is an alarming nationwide trend of drug dealers mixing illegally made fentanyl with, and disguising it as, other common drugs like Oxycodone, Percocet and Xanax to increase profits. People may not be able to tell if fentanyl is present based on taste, smell, or the look of the drug. In Washington, fentanyl has been found in counterfeit pills made to look like prescription opioid pills, as well as in powders and black tar heroin. According to the WA Department of Health, people should assume that any drug not from a pharmacy could have fentanyl in it.
Most recent cases of fentanyl-related overdose and death have been linked to illegally made fentanyl. New data show that deaths from drug overdoses continue to increase for Washington residents and that fentanyl is a major driver. Preliminary data as of April 13 show drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids in all of 2020 is nearly twice the number in 2019. In 2021, the number of overdose deaths were 72% higher than overdose deaths in 2020. Fentanyl overdose deaths have increased about 10-fold since 2016.
What can Skagitonians do to help?
Know the facts about fentanyl and share them with your friends.
- Fentanyl is extremely potent. As little as two milligrams of fentanyl, an amount equal to a few grains of salt, can kill a person.
- Do you know where your pill came from? Any pill you don’t directly get from a pharmacy may contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Real prescription drugs are not available on Instagram or Snapchat.
If you are a parent or educator, don’t avoid the topic.
- Young people are dying from lack of information about this. 35% of youth ages 13-17 say they don’t know enough about fentanyl and its rate of danger, and 73% have never heard of fentanyl in counterfeit pills.
- In our region, fentanyl is most commonly seen in blue, greenish, or pale colored counterfeit pills. There may be other colors. These pills may be marked as “M30” and sometimes as “K9,” “215,” and “v48.” Fentanyl may also be in white powders.
If you’re a person who uses drugs, or is considering using drugs, exercise caution.
- Assume any pill or powder drug not prescribed by a doctor is poisoned with fentanyl.
- Test your product: test strips are available through Skagit Public Health so you can see if your drugs contain fentanyl.
- Naloxone, a safe and simple medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdose, is available for free from locations around the County:
- Pick up from Skagit County Public Health (700 S 2nd St. #301, Mount Vernon, WA 98273) or have it mailed to your home.
- Note: Public Health/Needle Exchange also have fentanyl test strips available.
- Visit a Needle Exchange mobile site. For the schedule, visit: https://skagitrising.org/prevent-infection-overdose-and-death/#the-syringe-exchange.
- From other community resources like Community Action Agency and the Didgwalic Wellness Center.
- Through a pharmacy. For a full list, visit: https://stopoverdose.org/section/find-naloxone-near-you/
- Pick up from Skagit County Public Health (700 S 2nd St. #301, Mount Vernon, WA 98273) or have it mailed to your home.
What should you do if someone may be overdosing?
- Under the statewide standing order, anyone can get naloxone at a pharmacy without seeing a doctor first.
- The Good Samaritan Overdose law (RCW 69.50.315) says neither the victim nor people assisting with an overdose will be prosecuted for drug possession.
Help people struggling with opioid use disorder to find the right care and treatment. If you, or a loved one, want treatment or just want to learn more, see the Washington Recovery Helpline, or call 1-866-789-1511.
For information about what Skagit County is doing about the opioid and fentanyl crisis, for list of local treatment providers, or to learn how to use naloxone, go to www.skagitrising.org or call (360) 416-1500.