Illegally purchased drugs are likely to be laced with lethal doses of fentanyl. This is especially true for illegally purchased prescription drugs, especially opioids.

This is the message that the La Paz County Probation Service and the Parker Area Alliance for Community Empowerment want to convey to the community, especially parents and young people. Probation Officer Christina Hernandez gave a presentation on fentanyl at her PAACE Coalition meeting on Feb. 14.

In a video shown as part of the presentation, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent said buying illegal pills is like “playing Russian roulette.”

As little as 2.5 milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal.

“If someone you know is buying pills illegally, you’re not sure what you’re getting,” La Paz County Sheriff Will Pons told Pioneer. It’s like.”

Criminals and drug dealers mix fentanyl with illicit drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. They have also laced it into counterfeit versions of prescription drugs such as OxyContin and Xanax. They do this for economic reasons. First, as the DEA points out on its website, fentanyl is so potent and addictive that you’re guaranteed repeat users. The University of Colorado Boulder says fentanyl is also cheap and easy to produce, and small doses are enough to be effective.

“The issue that the public doesn’t understand is that fentanyl is not typically a standalone drug,” Ponce said.

The DEA reported 106,699 overdose deaths in the United States in 2021. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl were involved in 67% of them. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2010 his rate was 14.4%. In 2022, the DEA found that 6 out of 10 seized illegal pills containing fentanyl had potentially lethal doses. This is up from 4 out of 10 in 2021.

What is Fentanyl?

Opioids are drugs derived from the opium poppy. It includes both legal drugs and illegal drugs such as heroin. Opioids are addictive, but they are the best drugs available for relieving severe pain.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse said fentanyl is an analgesic and a drug used to treat chronic or severe pain. It is made by chemists and scientists working in laboratories that work with compounds such as This is why they are called “synthetic” opioids.

Fentanyl is used in hospitals to treat severely painful patients, especially those recovering from major surgery. It is also used for “end-of-life” pain in cancer patients and other terminally ill patients.

Fentanyl is highly addictive, 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.

How do young people get fentanyl and who might get it?

Hernandez said in his presentation that young people aren’t looking directly for fentanyl, they’re looking for other drugs. They may think they are getting illegal drugs like methamphetamine or illegally buying prescription drugs like OxyContin or Xanax, when in fact they are buying counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl. I am getting it. She stressed that there is no way for young people to know what they are really getting when they buy drugs illegally.

According to Hernandez, there are many ways for young people to obtain illegal drugs. One of the main sources of information these days is social media, text messages and the internet. Illegal drugs are shared at parties, whether young people are at a party or out with friends.

As to why young people use illicit drugs, Hernandez cites information from the leader of the Arizona Substance Abuse Coalition to focus on three main reasons: curiosity, stress relief, and continued use because of drug addiction. showed that there is a reason

Nearly all young people can become drug users, but Hernandez presented information from SACLA that some young people may be more likely than others to become drug users. I showed that. These include adolescents who have experienced a traumatic event in their life, adolescents who have a family history of substance abuse, or who have difficulty controlling their impulses, or depression, anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc. includes young people with mental health problems.

what can parents do

Hernandez stressed that the most important thing parents can do is talk to their children. They need to speak early and often. They especially need to talk about fentanyl and its dangers. They need to talk out of concern, not out of anger. Most importantly, you need to try to understand the child’s point of view.

Studies such as the Arizona Youth Survey show that parental disapproval is one of the greatest deterrents to youth drug use.

“Even if you don’t think your child is on drugs, talking to them may be the reason they never take,” SACLA says in one of its pamphlets.

You can also monitor your child’s internet activity, especially using social media. Know what sites your kids are visiting and limit the time they spend on social media. Talk to them about what they see and post.

Home prescription medications should be stored in a safe place out of the reach of children. Leftover, unused prescription medications must be brought into a safe medication drop-off box.

Hernandez said it’s also important to know the signs of an opioid overdose. , and unresponsiveness to stimuli.

People around someone experiencing an overdose may be afraid to call 9-1-1 for fear of getting into trouble. There is a “Samaritan” law that says someone who overdoses and calls 9-1-1 for help is exempt from arrest.

Hernandez said there is a drug called naloxone that can be administered to people with opioid overdoses and even fentanyl overdoses.PAACE also highlighted naloxone in its presentation. This drug can temporarily block the effects of opioids until the overdose is properly treated.

For more information on medicines, visit the following websites: Naloxone AZ.com.

Hernandez said the best defense is to make young people understand that they should never take unprescription pills or medications. The only way to be sure what you’re getting is what’s been prescribed for you is to purchase the drug from a legal and licensed pharmacy.

PAACE Director Randy Hartless said the focus is on educating communities and young people about how dangerous it is to buy drugs illegally. He said this is part of their ongoing efforts to promote youth free from drugs and violence.

Help and treatment are available for people who abuse opioids. There is an opioid assistance and referral line at 1-888-688-4222.