It’s become common knowledge that there is a fentanyl crisis ravaging our community and taking countless innocent lives. While you may be wondering why this would concern you at all, it’s important to take into consideration how often commonly used drugs are laced and how potent the effect is. Some communities are more vulnerable to this epidemic as they are often found more exposed to the drugs and lack the resources to receive the support that they need.
Upon scrolling through social media, a platform called tiktok, showcased a photo of the lethal dose of fentanyl, an amount so miniscule it could be displayed on the very tip of a pencil and on the next slide, an array of parmesan cheese containers. It can be insinuated that the purpose of the tiktok was a satirical way of showing the lethal dose of fentanyl and how easy it is to disguise in larger quantities. The illegal manufacture and sale of fentanyl, which is frequently combined with other narcotics like heroin, cocaine, MDMA or even weed to create deadly mixtures, is the source of the epidemic. Fentanyl is an especially pernicious threat because of its potency and accessibility, which exacerbates the current opioid crisis. A possible angle to take when devising a solution could revolve around the idea of further educating teens and young adults about drug contamination. Another solution to benefit those already impacted by this crisis however would be to increase the availability of overdose reversal medication like narcan to prevent deaths on the spot. No matter the severity, it is becoming increasingly obvious that solutions need to be implemented to prevent further harm to the community.