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Corrections and Clarifications: An earlier version of this article misspelled Kim Humphrey’s name.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office plans to host a panel in Glendale on Tuesday night to discuss the fentanyl crisis.
A one-hour question-and-answer panel will take place at the independent high school from 6-7 p.m., according to the news release. Participants include professionals from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the Arizona High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Community Bridge and the Glendale Police Department.
Kim Humphrey, director of Parents of Addicted Loved Ones, testifies. According to the release, his children are recovering from drug addiction.
Members of the community, especially parents of teenagers from anywhere in Maricopa County, were encouraged to participate in the panel.
“Fentasona”: How cheap, illegal fentanyl is fueling Arizona’s opioid crisis
“A recent Arizona youth survey found that 50% of eighth graders don’t know what fentanyl is. Taking or smoking a single fentanyl pill can be fatal.” said the release.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most opioid overdoses are associated with fentanyl, which is manufactured illegally by drug traffickers.
In 2017, there were 923 opioid overdose deaths in Arizona, with an average of two deaths per day. By 2021, the number of opioid overdose deaths in the state has more than doubled to 2,006, or an average of five deaths per day.
“Two out of five of the counterfeit pills that hit our borders are laced with lethal doses of fentanyl. Parents and teens should be aware of how dangerous fentanyl can be,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in an MCAO release.
Spanish speakers participating in the panel can also receive information and ask questions in Spanish, as interpreters are available.
“To reach a wider audience, the panel will have two people who will simultaneously translate the information provided by the experts, ensuring that Spanish speakers have all the information they need about fentanyl.” said MCAO spokesperson Karla Navarrete-Contreras.
Republic reporter Nadia Cantu contributed to this article.
Contact breaking news reporter Angela Cordova Perez. Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on twitter @AngelaCordobaP.
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