SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: May 7th is National Fentanyl Awareness Day

Fentanyl Awareness Day, recognized annually on May 7, is a chance to raise awareness about the risks of opioid use, educate the public about overdose prevention, and reduce stigma around substance use.

In 2022 on the first National Fentanyl Awareness Day, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) opened the Faces of Fentanyl exhibit at DEA Headquarters—a wall that displays the photos of those who have lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning. The memorial started with 100 photos; over 2021 year, Americans from across the country had sent DEA more than 5,000 photos. It reflects the reality that fentanyl is killing Americans from all walks of life, in every state and community in this country. The youngest person on the wall is 17-months old. The oldest is 70 years old.

Fentanyl is the greatest threat to Americans today. It kills more Americans between the ages of 18 to 45 than terrorism, car accidents, cancer, or COVID. It kills nearly 200 Americans every day. And the number of children under 14 dying from fentanyl poisoning has increased at an alarming rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.

There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illegally made fentanyl (IMF). Both are considered synthetic opioids. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer. However, most recent cases of fentanyl-related overdose are linked to illegally made fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive, and more dangerous.

IMF is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder. Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl.

In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies.

For additional facts about fentanyl, visit One Pill Can Kill.

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," to educate and update the community regarding prescription and illicit drug use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovec... or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about prescription drug use and the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.