By MADDIE KIRKMAN
Staff Writer
May 10, 2022, is the First National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50x stronger than heroin and 100x stronger than morphine. It is odorless, tasteless, potent, cheap, and easy to get. Due to this, dealers often use fentanyl to make fake prescription pills, such as Xanax, oxycodone, etc. Fentanyl can also be cut into other drugs to increase their potency. It is often mixed with heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and meth. This is done without the consumer’s knowledge or consent, meaning that most users are unaware of what substances they are truly consuming. Out of every 10 pills containing fentanyl, 4 of them contain a potentially lethal dose, according to the Dea. Most users do not know the amount of fentanyl they’re consuming or that their drugs even contain fentanyl. This leads to a large number of accidental overdoses.
Fentanyl kills more Americans under 50 than any other cause of death.
- Fentanyl is involved in more youth overdose deaths than heroin, meth, benzos, cocaine, and prescription drugs combined
- Fentanyl-related deaths in ages 14-18 grew by 169% in 2020
- 77% of all adolescent overdose deaths in 2021 were associated with fentanyl
However, teens in the United States are also the least aware of fentanyl and its effects. Out of all high school students, 66% do not know what fentanyl is and 73% do not know about fentanyl in fake pills. This lack of information is extremely deadly. National Fentanyl Awareness Dat, set intentionally during Mental Health Awareness month is meant to call attention to this health crisis. Opioid overdoses are killing people at alarming rates. Educating not only yourself but others on the dangers of fentanyl can save many lives.
Signs of an opioid overdose:
- Slow or irregular breathing
- Skin discolored or turning blueish
- Body going limp
- Vomiting
- Awake but unable to speak
- Choking/gurgling/snoring sound
- Slow or nonexistent heartbeat
- Loss of consciousness or awareness
Warn others and stick together to get rid of fentanyl altogether!