Local families impacted by the dangers of fentanyl are actively working to raise awareness about the dangerous drug. Yesterday, those who have lost loved ones due to drug overdoses or drug
poisonings gathered in Orlando with local law enforcement and agents from the
Drug Enforcement Administration’s Miami Field Division for the 3rd Annual Florida
Family Summit on Fentanyl to find collaborative solutions to help prevent
overdose deaths.
The regional event focused on the consequences that even a small amount
of fentanyl can have. Photos of those lost to fentanyl were displayed as a
reminder of the lives lost to this deadly drug. Conversation was geared toward raising awareness about the specific dangers of fentanyl – especially since the
drug is finding its way into younger hands. Currently, an average of about
22 teens ages 14-18 die each week from fentanyl overdoses, according to a
recent UCLA study.
The DEA warns that although fentanyl, a synthetic opioid analgesic, has legal and safe uses, many people are
purchasing fake prescription drugs and medication online not knowing that fentanyl
may be mixed into them. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who spoke during
the summit, said that 7 out of 10 fake pills seized are believed to have a
lethal dose of fentanyl. Counterfeit pills are made to look exactly like the
real prescription drugs, especially pain medications, and they are often
deadly. In 2023, the DEA seized more than 80 million fentanyl-laced fake pills
and 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. Those seizures are the equivalent of 381
million deadly doses of fentanyl.
"Fentanyl remains the most emerging drug threat that we have ever seen in the U.S.,” said Deanne Reuter, special
agent in charge of the DEA Miami field division. “It’s taking its toll. It’s
the leading cause of death between the ages of 18 and 45 years old from drug
overdoses and poisonings. And a lot of the people who overdose on fentanyl don’t
even know, or realize, that they’re taking it.”
This issue hits close to home in our part of Central Florida. Family members attending the summit warned not to experiment
with highly addictive fentanyl and stressed the importance of educating young people
about harm reduction and learning how to administer Narcan, the medication that
can help reverse effects of an opioid overdose. Even one time use of fentanyl
can be deadly – as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose.
