County Health Leaders Issue Fentanyl Warning

The stories have been in the news for several years. a young man buys a pill he thinks is oxycodone, Norco, or a similar opioid.

But it is not so. It was a fake pill containing fentanyl, and the one with the most life was out cold, probably naked, and lying on the doctor's bed, leaving family and friends in mourning.

"Teenagers are taking street pills thinking they're Oxycodone, Adderall or Xanax," said Robin Cox, director of the Solano County Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (VibeSolano). "They don't realize they're a fake pill until it's too late. their first encounter with a fake pill can often be fatal."

His comments appeared in a Solano County Health and Human Services press release earlier this week titled "Can You See Any Pills That Contain Fentanyl?" The information and data he brings defines in a practical sense what the term "cautionary tale" means.

At least 100 Solano County residents and more than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year, said Matthew Davis, Solano County public information officer, adding that as many as two-thirds of those deaths may be due to fentanyl.

To warn youth and their families about the serious dangers of fentanyl and counterfeit prescription drugs, Solano Public Health is expanding its "Fentanyl Kills" opioid prevention campaign in partnership with the county's Office of Education. . , the local police and the entire community. The initiative coincides with Red Ribbon Week (through Oct. 31), a national campaign to ensure kids stay drug-free, Davis said.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. One in four counterfeit pills contain fentanyl. Many of these fake pills contain fentanyl in doses high enough to kill. © Provided by Reporter (Vacaville)

In recent years, there has been an increase in fentanyl-related deaths, particularly among young people in Solano County, county health officials said. Some young people take pills given to them by their friends or buy them from local dealers, thinking they are legitimate prescription drugs. In another case, unsuspecting youths were being sold "rainbow fentanyl," a new kid-friendly color variant that was recently marketed to teenagers with images of the drug, thousands of which were seized in drug raids. recently. national news.

"It's heartbreaking to know that just 2 mg of fentanyl, the equivalent of four grains of sand, is enough to kill someone," David Gao Chan, who coordinates national opioid prevention efforts, said in a prepared statement. "Nobody wants to lose a loved one to an overdose, so it's important to talk to kids about the dangers of street pills."

The latest phase of VibeSolano's opioid prevention campaign includes an interactive multilingual microsite; wider multilingual access with promotional and educational materials in Spanish and Tagalog; and additional digital, print and transit advertising.

Public Health Solano is also working with Touro California University Drug Safety and other partners to promote and distribute Fentanyl Kills fact sheets, bookmarks and cards in the community.

In the campaign, health workers offer three ways to protect families. 1) take only prescribed pills; 2) Talk to your kids about the dangers of street pills like Oxy or Adderall. Many false fakes are sold to young people on social networks. and 3) If you or someone you know shows signs of an overdose, call emergency medical services immediately or administer life-saving Naloxone (Narcan®) as soon as possible.

"It ends like this. If the pill is not given to you or your children, it is not safe,” Gao Chan said. "Fentanyl kills".

Learn more about the dangers of fentanyl and counterfeit prescription drugs or download educational resources at VibeSolano.com.

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