BCMS Opioid Awareness Project

“

Rainbow fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults.

- Anne Milgram, DEA Administrator

“Deadly powdered fentanyl is in Boulder County’s illicit drug supply, and residents must take extra steps to keep themselves and their friends and family safe.”

- Commander Nick Goldberger, Boulder County Drug Task Force

the education and welfare of its Boulder County Medical Society (BCMS) members, and promoting the science and art of medicine in Boulder County.

UNDERSTANDING OPIOIDS & FENTANYL

Opioids are a class of drugs that includes pain relievers available by prescription, such as oxycodone (Oxycontin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, morphine, and many others.

Marijuana, party drugs, and counterfeit medication can be laced with lethal opioids and sedatives.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a treatable medical condition.

Odds are high that you know someone with substance abuse disorder (addiction). Illegal drugs often look like medicine or candy.

1 in 6 people have an “addiction gene” for opioids.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times more potent than heroin or prescription opioids. Overdose deaths often result from using/sharing counterfeit pills.

Fake prescription pills are easily accessible on social media and e-commerce platforms for purchase by minors and young adults assuming they are buying authentic oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax or “study drugs.”

“According to the Centers for Disease Control, more people die in the United States from drug overdoses than in vehicle accidents.

- Barbra Roach, Special Agent in (SAC) of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Denver Field Division

DEATH STATISTICS

YOUNG CHILDREN ≤5 years Opioids were the most common substances leading to fatal poisonings in this age group last year.

Source - American Academy of Pediatrics

YOUNG AMERICANS 18-45 years Fentanyl overdose and poisoning are their LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH - more than alcohol poisoning, gun violence or motor vehicle accidents.

Source - Drug Enforcement Administration

OLDER ADULTS 55+ years The rate of opioid overdose deaths in this age group has quadrupled in 10 years.

Source - JAMA Psychiatry

FENTANYL may contaminate fake drugs and lead to accidental poisoning and overdose death from:

• Forged or fraudulent prescriptions

• Counterfeit pills purchased online such as fake oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax

• Tainted marijuana and party drugs that may be laced with strong opioids

CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

Source - https://www.dea.gov/onepill

ONE PILL CAN KILL

Watch Wyatt’s story. One fake Xanax shared by a friend ended Wyatt’s life.

“There are also geographic hotspots of adolescent overdose deaths, many of which are in the western United States. Arizona, Colorado, and Washington State had mortality nearly twice the national average or higher in 2020–2022.

The Overdose Crisis among U.S. Adolescents - New England Journal of Medicine January 11, 2024

SAFE USE, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL

USE THEM RIGHT

• Opioids are used to treat moderate to severe acute pain

• Opioids should be used only as prescribed Medlineplus.gov/safeopioiduse.html

STORE THEM RIGHT

• 75% of misused opioids are stolen from home medicine cabinets

• Opioids should be locked and hidden Familydoctor.org/safe-use-storage-and-disposal-of-opioid-drugs

DISPOSE THEM RIGHT

• Police and sheriff stations can accept unused opioids

• Look for community “Take Back” events

• Dispose of your medicines safely TakeMedsSeriously.org

NALOXONE USE AND AVAILABILITY

Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose.

Naloxone can work in minutes to reverse an overdose. Naloxone is safe, has few side effects, and can be administered by friends and family.

Call 911 immediately in the event of an overdose.

NALOXONE SAVES LIVES

• Know what opioid overdose looks like

• Keep Naloxone on hand

• Know how to use Naloxone

• Talk about Naloxone with kids & grandkids

• Use OpiSafe’s OpiRescue app

There is a network of FREE Naloxone nasal spray kits and fentanyl test strips available across Boulder and Broomfield counties.

Boulder and Broomfield Naloxone locator

What are some signs of an opioid overdose?

• Unconsciousness

• Very small pupils

• Slow or shallow breathing

• Vomiting

• Inability to speak

• Faint heartbeat

• Limp arms and legs

• Pale skin

• Purple lips and fingernails nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/naloxone

BCMS OPIOID AWARENESS PROJECT (OAP)

A physician-led public health education initiative sponsored by the Boulder County Medical Society.

The Boulder County Medical Society (BCMS) has launched the BCMS Opioid Awareness Project to address the drug poisoning crisis in our area.

BCMS is distributing thousands of outreach tools to help educate EVERYONE about the opioid and fentanyl crisis and the ways to prevent continued overdose deaths and fentanyl poisonings including:

• Opioid Awareness cards distributed by 650+ BCMS physician members in their clinics

• Counterfeit Pill posters and flyers distributed in schools and community centers

• Public Safety Opioid Awareness cards distributed by Boulder County police officers

Each outreach tool directs the user to MANY valuable digital resources posted at the OPIOID EPIDEMIC DIGITAL GUIDE so that they can share their knowledge with others.

Be educated, be aware, and help save the life of a family member, friend,

BCMS OPIOID EPIDEMIC DIGITAL GUIDE

BCMS and the BCMS Foundation have developed a comprehensive OPIOID EPIDEMIC DIGITAL GUIDE with important resources for everyone from students to educators to athletes to parents to grandparents.

This guide includes essential information for everyone to understand the risks our community faces and to direct them to resources so that they can play an active role in stopping this toxic and deadly epidemic in families, workplaces, and the entire Boulder County community.

OPIOID EPIDEMIC DIGITAL GUIDE

Opioid and Fentanyl Awareness

Naloxone Use and Availability

Treatment Options and Recovery

Safe Storage & Disposal of Pain Medications

Resources - Families, Adolescents, Teens, Educators

Resources - College Age, Young Adults

Resources - Pregnant Women

Resources - Grandparents and Seniors

Resources - Community Outreach

Colorado 911 Good Samaritan Law

Videos, Success Stories and Short Films

JOIN US!

Please consider working with us to confront the opioid epidemic by uniting together as a community.

Everyone in Boulder County needs to know how to keep yourself, your family and friends, and your community safe.

Please help us by volunteering or donating to this important public health initiative.