The Race To Curb Fentanyl Deaths

1A

NPR

News

4.3 • 4.5K Ratings

🗓️ 21 December 2022

⏱️ 34 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

More than 100,000 people died last year in America from a drug overdose, most of which involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Fentanyl is deadly and it's winding up in street drugs of all kinds: heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and counterfeit Adderall.

We discuss the dangers of fentanyl and harm reduction solutions, like naloxone and fentanyl testing strips, that can keep everyone safer.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	A few years ago my husband and I were devastated by fentanyl overdoses and two step sons,
0:13.9	one for each of our previous relationships.
0:16.9	These happened 16 months apart.
0:20.1	Incredible anguish ripped our blended family apart.
0:23.7	Currently, we have another son who suffers from a drug addiction for which he has been
0:27.8	to rehab several times.
0:30.3	We should or just think of his exposure to fentanyl and our ineptitude to deal with this
0:34.8	in any sense of effectiveness.
0:37.6	There is such helplessness.
0:40.2	When I contemplate the number of parents, siblings, spouses, aunts, uncles, grandparents
0:45.3	and friends who are suffering alongside in the fentanyl epidemic, my heart aches.
0:52.0	Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for people 18 to 49, according to Washington
0:57.2	Post Analysis of CDC data.
0:59.9	More than 100,000 people died in America from a fentanyl overdose, most involving the
1:05.2	synthetic opioid fentanyl.
1:07.7	Fentanyl is being added to street drugs of all kinds, heroin, cocaine, meth and amphetamine,
1:12.7	even counterfeit, out-of-all pills.
1:14.6	It's 50 times more potent than heroin.
1:17.8	Fentanyl is a cheap additive that dealers are using to lower costs and make their product
1:21.8	more addictive that's according to the CDC.
1:25.0	After the break, we'll discuss the threat fentanyl poses to folks using opioids and recreational
1:29.3	drugs and solutions to keep everyone safer.
	...

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