Fentanyl killed their son. Now they’re begging parents to understand the dangers

CNN — 

It was every parent’s worst nightmare.

Two days after Christmas 2020, Chris Didier went into his son Zach’s bedroom in their home near Sacramento. The accomplished student, school theater actor and athlete was unresponsive at his desk – his head lying on his arm.

“I could feel before I even touched him that something was horribly wrong,” said Chris.

Read the full story and watch the video on CNN.com

A major drugmaker plans to sell overdose-reversal nasal spray Narcan over the counter

Drug maker Emergent BioSolutions is seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration to sell Narcan over the counter, without need for a prescription.

The medication, an easy-to-use nasal spray version of the drug naloxone, has a strong track record reversing deadly opioid overdoses, which have soared in recent years largely because of the spread of fentanyl.

Read the full article on the NPR web site.

36 Million Lethal Doses of Fentanyl Removed from Communities between May and September

DEA Announces Results of Enforcement Surge to Reduce the Fentanyl Supply Across the United States
9/27/22 DEA Press Release

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration today announced the results of an enforcement operation that spanned from May to September and resulted in significant fentanyl seizures across the United States.  

As part of the One Pill Can Kill initiative, the DEA and its law enforcement partners seized more than 10.2 million fentanyl pills and approximately 980 pounds of fentanyl powder during the period of May 23 through Sept. 8, 2022. The amount of fentanyl taken off the streets during this surge is equivalent to more than 36 million lethal doses removed from the illegal drug supply. Additionally, 338 weapons were seized, including rifles, shotguns, pistols, and hand grenades.

Read the full article on the DEA web site.

Zebulon man charged in deadly heroin/fentanyl overdose, deputies say

LOUISBURG, N.C. (WNCN) — Franklin County deputies have arrested a Zebulon man in a deadly overdose earlier this year, officials said.

Luis Santiago Franco, 20, died on May 21 at his home, according to his obituary and a news release from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

Detectives later determined that heroin/fentanyl was Franco’s cause of death.

Read the full article on the CBS 17 web site.

Sen. Chuck Schumer wants $290M to help fight deadly ‘rainbow fentanyl’

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday he wants almost $300 million in federal funding to fight “rainbow fentanyl” — highly-addictive pills that look like candy and could have a devastating effect on young people.

The $290 million in funds would be used to sustain 61 Overdose Response Strategy teams that would help try to curb fentanyl, including the new “rainbow” kind, the New York Democrat said at a press conference.

“This is fentanyl, this is a Sweetart — you tell me the difference,” Schumer said while holding up pictures of both the deadly pills and the tangy sweets. “Halloween is coming up… this is really worrisome and really dangerous.”

Read the full article on the NY Post web site.

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