October 2024 has been declared as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to raise awareness and educate Texans about the dangers of fentanyl to save more lives.
“Fentanyl is a clandestine killer that rips away loved ones forever,” said Governor Gregg Abbott. “Texas continues to take significant action to combat the growing fentanyl crisis that is plaguing our state and our nation. Last year, I signed a law designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in Texas to ensure all Texans, particularly our children, know about the dangers of deadly fentanyl. As part of Texas’ ongoing ‘One Pill Kills’ campaign, we are raising awareness about the deadly consequences of fentanyl and educating Texans on how to prevent, recognize, and reverse fentanyl poisonings to protect a family member, friend, and neighbor. Working together, we can fight back to save countless lives from this deadly threat.”
Fentanyl is the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 18-45. Fentanylrelated deaths in Texas increased over 600% from 2019 to 2023, taking the lives of more than 7,000 innocent Texans in just four years. Knowing how to recognize the signs of fentanyl poisoning and having open conversations about the dangers of fentanyl can help save a life.
Last year, four bills were signed into laws to combat the growing national fentanyl crisis: House Bill 6 (Goldman/ Huffman) creates a criminal offense of murder for supplying fentanyl that results in death, enhances the criminal penalty for the manufacturing or delivery of fentanyl, and requires deaths caused by fentanyl to be designated as fentanyl toxicity or fentanyl poisoning on a death certificate. Current law does not require such classification on a death certificate, with most fentanyl-related deaths currently classified as an overdose.
House Bill 3144 (Lujan/ Campbell) establishes October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to help increase awareness of the dangers of fentanyl.
House Bill 3908 (Wilson/ Creighton), also known as Tucker’s Law, requires public schools each year to provide research-based instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness to students grades 6 through 12. The bill also requires the Governor to designate a Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week.
Senate Bill 867 (West/Rose) allows the distribution of opioid antagonists, including life-saving NARCAN, to Texas colleges and universities to prevent opioid poisonings.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that mimics the effects of morphine in the human body. It was first developed to provide opioid pain management in 1959. The opioid is fifty times stronger than heroin and one hundred times stronger than morphine.
Due to high potency, availability, and low cost to produce, fentanyl is being used as a cutting agent in heroin and other illicit drugs. Fentanyl is also being used in the production of counterfeit pharmaceutical medication, including pills. There is no way to know how much fentanyl is contained in each counterfeit pill.
The potency of these drugs has led to a significant increase in overdose-related deaths throughout the nation. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2021 nearly 71,000 drug overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids. Synthetic opioid-involved death rates increased by over 22% from 2020 to 2021.
Fentanyl can be ingested orally and inhaled through the nose or mouth. Fentanyl can also be absorbed through skin, however, skin exposure is not expected to lead to toxicity due to its extremely poor penetration of the skin barrier. It also comes in a variety of forms including, powder, liquid, and pills, and it’s seen in a variety of colors.
When a person is under the influence of fentanyl it can produce effects such as: relaxation, pain relief, sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, pupil constriction, and respiratory depression.
Roughly two-three milligrams of fentanyl can induce respiratory depression, arrest, and possibly death. Two to three milligrams is approximately five to seven individual grains of table salt.
Signs of fentanyl overdose may include, slow breathing or no breathing, drowsiness, disorientation, sedation, pinpoint pupils, skin rash, or clammy skin. Symptoms usually occur within minutes of exposure or ingestion. Fentanyl overdose lowers the heart rate and depresses the respiratory system.
If someone is suspected of ingesting or being exposed to fentanyl: seek immediate medical attention. If someone exhibits overdose symptoms, administer Naloxone (Narcan). If fentanyl was ingested through mouth or eyes and the person is conscious, rinse eyes and mouth with cold water. If there was skin contact with fentanyl, immediately wash the area with soap and water.
Do not use hand sanitizer as it may increase absorption of fentanyl through the skin.