Join us in observing National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day today, August 21.
More than 100,000 people in the United States died of drug overdoses and poisonings in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids involved in 67 percent of those deaths.
Illicit fentanyl is often made to look like prescription opioids, but can contain deadly doses of fentanyl. Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. That’s equal to just 10-15 grains of table salt.
Fentanyl disguised as prescription medication can easily be purchased on online or through social media, which makes teens especially susceptible to fentanyl addiction and poisoning. Fentanyl is also increasingly found in other illegal drugs to make them more potent and increase the likelihood of overdosing.
Help spread awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, and have regular conversations with teens, young people, and loved ones about the dangers of fentanyl and opioids.
