Protect Your Loved Ones from Opioid Overdose
The news of the opioid crisis may not be dominating the headlines these days. But the problem has not gone away. It has not lessened. It is getting worse.
The opioid crisis may not be dominating headlines these days, but the problem has not gone away. While the number of prescriptions written for opioids has been decreasing for the past 13 years, overdose deaths have continued to climb. The reason? Fentanyl.
In 2021, deaths attributed to synthetic opioids such as fentanyl accounted for over 75% of the nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths. One reason for the alarming increase in deaths is the result of fentanyl finding its way into other drugs. From counterfeit pain pills to cocaine laced with the drug, many of the victims had no idea what they were taking.
What is Fentanyl?
According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), fentanyl is a potent synthetic drug that can be up to 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The effects on the user are similar to other opioids and include:
- Sedation
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Nausea
While an overdose of the drug can lead to life-threatening symptoms such as:
- Coma
- Respiratory depression
- Vomiting
- Stupor
If you see someone exhibiting these symptoms, getting help as quickly as possible is critical. While it is possible to reverse a fentanyl overdose, rapid medical attention is required.
In addition to illicit forms of fentanyl, there are several forms available by prescription.
Fentanyl-Laced Drugs: A Growing Concern
Because illicit fentanyl can be easily manufactured from readily available chemicals, the drug is often used to increase the effectiveness or quantity of other illicit substances, often creating a lethal cocktail that has led to a surge in overdoes deaths.
Common Drugs Laced with Fentanyl:
- Heroin: Fentanyl is often mixed with heroin to increase its potency and reduce production costs.
- Cocaine: Both powder and crack cocaine have been found to contain fentanyl.
- Methamphetamine: Increasingly, meth is being cut with fentanyl, creating a dangerous stimulant-depressant combination.
- Counterfeit prescription pills: Fake versions of oxycodone, Xanax, and other prescription medications often contain fentanyl.
- MDMA (Ecstasy): Some ecstasy pills have been found to contain fentanyl, though this is less common.
The practice of lacing drugs with fentanyl has created a public health crisis, as users often unknowingly consume the substance, leading to a dramatic increase in overdose deaths. Law enforcement and public health officials are working to combat this trend through increased awareness, drug testing programs, and targeted interventions.
Narconon centers have been providing their life-saving services to tens of thousands of individuals for close to 60 years. This program addresses the root causes leading to addiction—not being able to identify counter survival elements in the environment, being stuck in the past and not being able to have attention for demands in the present, having difficulty communicating, having trouble with interpersonal relationships and having trouble reaching their desired goals in life.
The program addresses the root causes of addiction though a series of courses designed to improve communication, identify harmful elements in the environment, and to avoid because stuck in the past. Through this process, Narconon students discover for themselves the underlying issues which led to their addiction. This focus on personal responsibility and accountability helps make the Narconon program successful where others have failed.
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