HarmonyPlace,atreatmentfacilityinWoodlandHills,Californiaforthosewithmental healthandaddictionchallenges,isawarningtorecreationaldrugusersthateveniftheyare notseekingoutfentanyl,thepowerfulsyntheticopioidisbeinglacedinawiderangeof othersubstances. Thewarningisbeingissued
givenrecentstatisticsthatthe U.S....
AccordingtoDavidCohen,LCSWatHarmony Place,atreatmentfacilityinWoodlandHills, Californiaforthosewithmentalhealthand addictionchallenges,thislittleknownfactis greatlycontributingtothenation'sdeadlygame ofRussianRoulette.
Manyofourclientswhojustbarely survivedtheiroverdoeshadnoidea thattheyhadeventakenfentanyl,"says Cohen,whoexplainsthatevensmall amountsofthedrugcanquicklyresult indeath.
"Weneedtoincreasepublicawarenessthatfentanylisbeing lacedincommonlyconsumeddrugsandit'sforthisreasonthat weareseeingadramaticriseinfatalities.
"Illicitdrugmanufacturersanddealersareincreasinglymixingfentanylwithothersubstances becauseitisinexpensivetoproduce,onlysmalldosesareneededtoproduceahighdesiredby unwittingusersanditcanbetransportedeasilysinceonlysmallquantitiesarerequired.
Eventhoughthelastthingthedrugtrade wantstodoiskillofftheirmarket,they nonethelesswilllacethemoreexpensive drugswiththerelativelycheapfentanyl toincreaseprofits."
"I'mafraidthatwe'refallingbackonthefailedpoliciesofthe1980s''war ondrugs'andthatmanypoliticiansareunawarethatdoingsonotonly won'tsolvetheproblembutmightevenaggravateit,"saysCohen.
"CohensaysanumberofstatesareintroducingstricterdruglawsincludingVirginia,whichis proposingclassifyingfentanylasa"weaponofterrorism"andTennesseewhereateenagerwas chargedwithtwocountsofseconddegreemurderaftersheandfriendstookfentanyl-laced cocaine.
"Weallwantthisepidemictoendand livesbesaved,"saysCohen,who revealsthatnearly38millionAmerican kids12+useillegaldrugsandhave donesowithinthelast30days.