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Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid to treat severe pain, has taken over the lives of tens of thousands of Americans, becoming the leading cause of death in America for people between the ages of 18 to 45, according to the CDC.
“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered,” said Anne Milgram, administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in a statement. “Fentanyl is everywhere. From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison.”
In El Paso, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have seized vast amounts of fentanyl at the border entries throughout the year. In the span of two days, CBP reported Oct. 5 they had seized more than 17 pounds of fentanyl.
According to CDC data, more than 150 people die daily from overdoses related to opioids, including fentanyl. Overdose deaths involving fentanyl have increased by 56 percent from 2019 to 2020. In 2021, more than 71,000 people died of synthetic opioid overdoses.
“Fentanyl has been a huge concern in our community because it is now being produced and manufactured illegally. Targeting those individuals who are consuming opioids, not just as illegal drugs, but also as prescription medications,” said Hector Ocaranza, Director of the El Paso Public Health Department.
According to the CDC, Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and is often combined with other drugs and made into pills or powders. Two milligrams of fentanyl can lead to an overdose.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced his plans for the fentanyl epidemic in August. Abbott plans to pass a law where dealers who sell opioids are charged for murder.
“Sadly, this is a phenomenon that can be prevented if we all work together and if our federal government gets serious about protecting its citizens by securing our border,” Abbott said. “Substance abuse is a lifelong battle for many. We should muster every tool and every effort to help our fellow Texans negotiate the perils of addiction and emerge drug-free and healthy.”
The Biden administration announced in September they are awarding $1.5 billion to states to address addiction and the opioid crisis and will invest more than $104 million to expand substance use treatment and prevention in rural communities.
El Paso’s Public Health officials are warning the community of the dangers fentanyl poses as Halloween approaches.
“Unfortunately, the illegal manufacturers made it a point to make fentanyl more colorful and more visually appealing,” Ocaranza said. “They are making fentanyl appealing to teenagers and children who unfortunately don’t know the danger of this substance. So many are unknowingly consuming drugs that are tinted with fentanyl.”
If someone is experiencing an overdose contact 911.
For information on opioid overdose treatment and recovery programs, visit the Texas Health and Human Services website at txopioidresponse.org.
Victoria Rivas is a guest contributor and may be reached at [email protected]; @VicRivas_18 on Twitter.
