Facts
The #1 way to protect your friends and yourself from fentanyl is to steer clear of any drugs that are not prescribed to you. Unfortunately, fentanyl is widespread in towns all around the Mid-Willamette Valley. That means you have to assume that any pill you didn’t get from a pharmacy is fake and may contain fentanyl. Even if the pill comes from someone you know, it could have fentanyl in it.
One pill can kill you
76% of U.S. drug deaths in people ages 14-23 involved fentanyl (2020)
It just takes a bit
Fentanyl is so strong and deadly that a tiny amount can cause an overdose. “Tiny” means 10-15 grains of salt.
Overdoses are right here
12 fatal overdoses in Yamhill County related to illicit drug use
7 of those overdoses involved fentanyl (2020)
It clumps together
Fentanyl clumps together. That means it is not evenly distributed in a batch of pills or powder. That’s how any single pill or hit can be the one that causes an overdose.
It’s really strong
Up to 50 times stronger than heroin
100 times stronger than morphine
You can’t see it coming
Fentanyl doesn’t taste or smell like anything. You can’t tell by looking at a pill, if it has fentanyl in it.
You can’t tell the difference
Make sure your friends know that fentanyl often looks exactly like prescription pills like Xanax, Oxy, Adderall or Percocet. It’s not just in pills, either. It’s in powders and illegal drugs of all kinds.
Where do fake pills laced with fentanyl come from?
Social media? yep
A DM from a seller? for sure
Someone you know? definitely
A friend of a friend? sad but true
FAQ
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You can’t. You can’t see, smell, or taste if a drug contains fentanyl. It looks exactly like prescription Xanax or Oxy.
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No. This is a myth. You can't overdose by touching fentanyl. But if you touch something that you think might contain fentanyl, you should wash your hands.
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Fentanyl is strong and cheap to make. Illegal drug makers and dealers mix it into other drugs to stretch their supply. That means people taking the drugs have no idea how much fentanyl they're getting.
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The fentanyl that is hurting local teens is an illegal form of a drug that is also used legally by doctors. Legal fentanyl is a prescription medicine. It is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, especially after surgery. Assume that any pills not given to you by a pharmacist are fake. They could contain illegal fentanyl and cause an overdose.
This is heavy stuff.
What am I supposed to do about it?
You’re already protecting yourself and your friends by learning more about fentanyl. Do you know what an overdose looks like?