GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — A local nonprofit is working to raise awareness about the dangerous effects of fentanyl on communities across North Carolina.
Off Interstate 85 in Guilford County stands a billboard with the names and faces of fentanyl victims from across the state.
“This horrible, horrible thing is murdering our kids, our family, our friends,” said Race against Drugs founder Mike Loomis. “This billboard shows the state of North Carolina, Guilford County, and all 99 counties that fentanyl is rampant.”
Loomis says the billboard was designed with the help of the families of victims and survivors, many of whom gathered Sunday to reflect on how the drug has impacted their lives.
BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) — Students in Beaufort County Schools were welcomed back this week with help from the sheriff’s office.
Deputies served as School Resource Officers throughout schools in the district. They’re replacing a third party police force used for the past three years.
There are 13 deputies, meaning each school in the district gets one. On the first day of school, SROs were seen greeting students at car rider lines, giving them high fives and tying their shoes in the hallways.
Having the local sheriff’s office provide school security has been a work in progress since winter.
“To be honest, there’s nothing better than your local sheriff’s department being able to provide school resource officers into our schools each and every day,” Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Dr. Matthew Cheeseman said. “And through that, you’ll see them out at our athletic contests, extracurricular activities and so let’s celebrate them as they celebrate and protect our students and staff. Perfect.”
In order to become a SRO, a 40-hour SRO certification programs has to be completed. During that training, school security is practiced in addition to courses on ethics and leadership.
Each SRO is a sworn police officer and is armed. They’ll be making sure buildings are secure, alarm systems are working, doors are not propped and students and staff feel safe.
Naloxone is now widely carried by first responders and police. Distribution efforts have also helped make the medication available to community partners.
Naloxone has quickly become a central part of harm reduction efforts nationally and within North Carolina.
Naloxone is now widely carried by first responders and police. Distribution efforts have also helped make the medication available to community partners.
“Harm reduction is the first line of defense we have. It is the on the ground, in the community response. It is by people with lived experience for people with lived experience,” shared Elyse Powell, executive director of the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition.
Efforts to bring naloxone into school systems are also expanding, including in Wake County Schools. School officials tell WRAL News training efforts are underway to prepare for the distribution of the medication to schools this year.
A high-capacity pill press sits on a washing machine in a Fayetteville home. (Courtesy USDOJ)
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — What began as a Fayetteville police investigation ended in federal charges, a 27-year prison sentence, and more than six pounds of fentanyl taken out of circulation.
Quavion Maurice Pickett, 30, became the focus of an investigation after a “confidential informant” tipped off Fayetteville police in April 2022 to his role involvement in distributing drugs, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. on Wednesday.
Pickett, a.k.a. “Q,” is a resident of Rock Hill, S.C., and has a residence in Fayetteville where police began surveilling after the tip. After observing what appeared to be multiple drug transactions, a search warrant was issued.
While in the home, officers discovered the laundry room was being used as a “secret fentanyl lab”, the USDOJ release said. The makeshift lab was described as being used as a counterfeit pill-making operation. The fentanyl pills seized were pressed with markings of “A215”, which was to give the appearance of being 30-milligram doses of oxycodone hydrochloride, Easley said.
Wake County will work with 13 community organizations specializing in naloxone distribution, recovery support, housing services and more to combat the effects of the opioid epidemic. Durham County Sheriff’s Dept.
Lindsey Humphreys has been recovering from opioid addiction for the last five years, she said.
She’s known people in Wake County who have died from opioids because they didn’t have access to naloxone, a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdose.
“I decided to be part of the solution and just started to distribute this,” she said. “I have been doing it for the last couple of years in the memory of some of my friends who passed.”
Humphreys is the executive director of Illuminate NC, an organization that helps distribute naloxone in Wake and Vance counties. Illuminate distributes about 300 naloxone units a month, she said.
August 21st marks National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day™, a solemn occasion dedicated to honoring the memory of those who have fallen victim to illicit fentanyl poisoning. It serves as a poignant reminder of the profound devastation inflicted upon countless families and friends affected by this perilous drug. This day stands as a unified effort among fentanyl awareness organizations, impacted families, and individuals sharing their lived experiences to collectively warn and inform our youth, the public, and the unsuspecting.
This nationwide initiative urges all Americans to unite in the cause. Federal, state, and local agencies are called to participate actively, contributing to the vital mission of saving lives through heightened prevention and awareness efforts. Hosting community events dedicated to National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day and disseminating resources on fentanyl and other hazardous substances can prove instrumental in safeguarding lives.
The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. Fentanyl represents the gravest drug threat our nation has ever faced, propagated by transnational criminals. Alarmingly, an American succumbs to a drug-related death every five minutes, with children under 14 bearing a disproportionate burden of fatalities from fentanyl poisoning. Exploiting social media platforms, distributors are making access to dangerous drugs alarmingly easy for our youth. Thus, comprehensive prevention education is imperative to stem the tide of this crisis.
It is incumbent upon us all to be well-informed about the perils of illicit fentanyl. By collectively spreading awareness about its dangers, we can shield families from the anguish of fentanyl-related tragedies. Let us join forces to educate, advocate, and protect our communities, fostering a culture of health, productivity, and drug-free living.
The National Crime Prevention Council put out this video and announcement on National Fentanyl Awareness Day. The video is part of the NCPC “Go For Real Campaign”.
Today, on National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, the nation unites to honor the memory of loved ones poisoned to death by this drug. This day also serves as an opportunity to elevate this issue. Let’s push for action to stop another family from losing a loved one to this crisis.
The National Crime Prevention Council is resolved to keep fighting fentanyl. Public awareness is always the first step. That’s why McGruff will continue to educate with the PSA you see here.
Despite the progress made in advocating for public policy changes, holding social media companies accountable, and reducing the supply and demand of illicit drug distribution channels—we have to do more.
This crisis remains a persistent threat, and our commitment to addressing it must be equally steadfast. This shouldn’t be a focus for just today, but every day.
WILSON COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – A Wilson County man is behind bars charged with an overdose death.
The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office arrested 35-year-old Devonty Pitt and charged him with felony aggravated death by distribution of controlled substances.
The sheriff’s office began investigating back in May when deputies and detectives responded to the overdose death of 33-year-old Cierra Parker Barnes.
Investigators say it was determined that Pitt supplied the toxic narcotics that led to the fatal overdose.
Pitt has had several previous possession with intent to sell and distribute charges for substances such as heroin and cocaine and is also a convicted felon due to these charges.
He is in the Edgecombe County Detention Center under no bond.
Newly-released warrants reveal a Raleigh mother and her unborn baby were among the latest overdose cases as they each died from fentanyl overdoses. The latest data serves as a warning for parents.
Seventeen North Carolinians die from an overdose each day.
Newly released warrants reveal a Raleigh mother and her unborn baby were among the latest cases as they each died from fentanyl overdoses. The latest data serves as a warning for parents.
Barbara Walsh knows the danger of fentanyl, a toxic poison her daughter died from unintentionally in August of 2021.
“Basically, you have a murder with no weapon,” Walsh said. “Fentanyl puts someone to sleep like a dog.”
Sophia drank what she thought was water in a bottle – except it was laced.
“This young woman was 24 years old, Apex High School grad, Appalachian State grad, professionally employed,” said Walsh.
A new search warrant issued by Raleigh police describes a recent suspected fentanyl death of a mother and her unborn child. It happened at an apartment in southeast Raleigh.
Police responded to a woman in cardiac arrest on Aug. 14.
A man inside the apartment told police that she took fentanyl and that he last saw her watching a movie on her phone about an hour earlier before finding her unresponsive.
Wake County EMS administered Narcan, a drug that reverses the symptoms of an opioid overdose.
But the mother and her unborn baby died.
“We are seeing about 3,600 per year die, every year it’s getting larger until this year,” Walsh said.
According to the office of the state medical examiner, there were 193 fentanyl positive deaths in May alone in North Carolina.
Despite that, yearly data is showing a downward trend. There were 3,354 fentanyl deaths in 2022, 3,341 in 2023 and 1,008 so far in 2024.
With this week being International Overdose Awareness Week, she’s hopeful parents can continue to educate their children about the dangers of fentanyl – an odorless, tasteless drug.
“Right now, 7 out of 10 pills not from a pharmacist contain fentanyl,” Walsh said. “Most people don’t know it’s in their pill, a vape or a drink.”
