‘One pill can kill’: Law enforcement issue warning on Fentanyl Awareness Day
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Drug overdoses killed more than 100,000 Americans last year. Two-thirds of those deaths involved fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a potent, synthetic opioid. In an effort to save lives, this year, the DEA recognized the first-ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day on May 10.
For more than a decade, Dr. Heather Roe, the founder of Harmony Medical Clinic, has been working in addiction medicine. She has been treating patients who use fentanyl since 2018 and says that now, nearly all of the patients she meets are using fentanyl tablets.
“Even if people have some kind of substance abuse issue, doesn’t mean that they’re not good people; that they still deserve care, respect.”
Helping people is at the core of Harmony Medical Clinic. As a mother, Dr. Roe doesn’t want fentanyl in the hands of teens.
“Opioid-naive brain cannot handle the potency of what’s in those pills. so absolutely, it is terrifying,” she said.
It’s a reality in Sedgwick County. In the last four years, overdose deaths increased from 98 in 2018 to 218 in 2021. A majority of those deaths were from fentanyl. It’s a trend Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter expects to increase this year.
“I do know, talking with the Forensic Science Center, that they have about 100 cases over there waiting for toxicology, Most of which are overdose cases,” said Sheriff Easter. “We also know anecdotally, because we’re responding more, we’re responding to a lot more overdose calls, we’re responding to overdoses that are related to deaths. And also, those deaths including juveniles; kids 19 to 16 years old.”
The sheriff, along with other law enforcement agencies across the country, says their main message is - one pill can kill. Plus, they say parents need to be engaged and know what their children are doing.
“These pills are $8 a pill. That’s cheap. And you can buy them anywhere,” said Easter.
“It’s just so potent. So hard to stop. So easy to have an unintended overdose,” said Dr. Roe.
The doctor also encourages those with an addiction to seek treatment.
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