Program outlines growing dangers of fentanyl use

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fentanyl continues to be a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S. and Douglas County. Recently, the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse and Prevention outlined the reality of fentanyl use among use to county o cials.

Leading the presentation, Lindsey Simbeye, the external relations strategist for the consortium, provided insight on how to talk to and educate youth about the growing crisis.

“ is epidemic and this crisis is not going anywhere,” said Simbeye. “ e best thing that we can do is learn as much as we can and share that knowledge with everyone that we can.” e nation is in its third wave since the opioid crisis began in the 1990s. ere was a rise in heroin overdose deaths in 2010, and 2013 marked the shift from illicit opioids to more synthetic opioids. According to Simbeye, a primary reason for the shift to fentanyl is it is easy to make.

Fentanyl is odorless, colorless and tasteless, making it easy to mix in other drugs such as methamphetamines, cocaine, LSD and other counterfeit pills.

An estimated 42% of all pills tested by the DEA contained at least two milligrams of fentanyl, which is considered to be a lethal dose. However, a lethal dose depends on the person’s body size, previous use and tolerance to the opioid.

Simbeye said these pills have a “chocolate chip cookie e ect”. Any-

Crisis worsens

one who has made chocolate chip cookies would like to have a great morsel of chocolate in each bite, but most likely it is not the case. It is the same with pills, a singular pill might not have fentanyl in the entire pill.

When working with people in active use, Simbeye often has the drugs tested. Multiple areas of the pill are tested to know whether there is fentanyl in it.

“It also means that there could be enough fentanyl to kill 10 people in half of it and nothing in the other half of it,” said Simbeye.

In terms of cost, it depends on which market and how saturated that market is. Now, having access to the drug market is as simple as having a smartphone, going to social media, paying with an online app and determining a meeting place.

“It’s not what we see in the movies,” said Simbeye. “It’s not hiding under the scary bridge or in the dark corner. It is a pizza delivery guy.

at’s how easy it is.”

Tracking distributors through social media is challenging, especially with apps in which conversations disappear. Douglas County Sheri Darren Weekly said to ght the problems, deputies often have to go undercover to get information that leads to arrests..

In addition, to go through someone’s social network and see who they have been communicating with, the police must have a search warrant.

When talking with your youth, Simbeye stressed two important points. Make sure they know the legal consequences of using drugs and the life long consequences of addiction. ere are peer specialists who talk about their experiences with drugs and how they came out of their addiction.

Judgment and condemnation is not going to further the conversation, instead, Simbeye recommends speaking with an open mind. First, understand one of the reasons why youth might be using drugs. It could be for sensation, from peer pressure, a lacking trusted adult in their life, pop culture or social media. Also knowing where youth are sourcing these substances is an important factor.

“Our youth are typically not out there seeking fentanyl, but they might be seeking a Xanax,” said Simbeye. “If they are bought o the black market, it is highly likely that they have some other kind of contamination and then possibly fentanyl.”

Knowing what you want to get out of the conversation and having done homework on the topic is critical to the conversation. It is okay to not know all the facts and gures according to Simbeye, because looking information up together is another strong way to communicate the importance of this issue. Information can be found at One Pill Can Kill and DEA Drug Facts Sheet for Fentanyl.

Determining what age to start speaking with your child about the dangers of drugs depends on when one feels like their child can internalize information.

“Is it appropriate to say to a 6-year-old, ‘be careful of fentanyl’, no, they’re probably not going to internalize that,” said Simbeye. However, she suggested talking to children about being careful of what they pick up o the ground because what it looks like might not be what it actually is. She encouraged having regular transparent conversations with kids as they grow up.