Families Against Fentanyl issued a brief on September 26, 2023 which shows North Carolina as #4 in the nation for fentanyl deaths. Read the full brief on the Familes Against Fentanyl website.
North Carolina #4 in the nation for fentanyl deaths
Category: Resource
Rockingham County holds town hall on dangers of fentanyl
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. — Students, teachers, and parents will attend a town hall Tuesday night in Rockingham County to talk about the dangers of fentanyl.
It’s a hot topic that’s growing as Rockingham County joins Guilford County on the matter.
Guilford County hosted town halls last spring. The town halls came about after a survey at Northern Guilford High School showed nearly 90% of students said drugs were a problem at school.
Kathleen Smith helped plan that meeting. She’s happy to see more counties doing the same.
“It feels really good, but you don’t want to pat yourself on the back too much as a school community, knowing there’s just so much more work to be done, and you know, the problem is really pervasive. I sat down with some moms and kids not long ago on my back porch and you know, I had this girl who I highly respect, who is in college; she’s just like, ‘Ms. Smith, everybody does it,’ kind of like, get over it, but that’s not what I want. We want to raise our kids to treat their bodies, for the most part, like cathedrals,” Smith said.
Law enforcement officials said fentanyl really ramped up in 2015. They said what used to be a heroin problem is now a fentanyl problem.
Read the full article and watch the video on the WFMY News2 website.
How deeply did prescription opioid pills flood your county? See here.
For the first time, Americans can see the rise — and fall — of legal opioids entering their community. A database maintained by the Drug Enforcement Administration that tracks every single pain pill sold in the United States, tracing the path from manufacturers and distributors to pharmacies in every town and city, is now public through 2019, the tail end of the pain pill crisis.
These records provide an unprecedented look at the surge of legal pain pills that fueled the prescription opioid epidemic, which resulted in more than 210,000 overdose deaths during the 14-year time frame ending in 2019. It also sparked waves of an ongoing and raging opioid crisis first fueled by heroin and then illicit fentanyl.
The Washington Post sifted through 760 million transactions from 2006 through 2019 that are detailed in the DEA’s database and specifically focused on oxycodone and hydrocodone pills, which account for three-quarters of all opioid dosages shipped to pharmacies during that time. The Post is making this data available at the county and state levels to help the public understand the impact of years of prescription pill shipments on their communities.
A county-level analysis shows where the most oxycodone and hydrocodone pills were distributed across the country over that time — more than 145 billion in all.
Read the full article on the Washington Post website (may require subscription).
App State student promotes Narcan accessibility
“Naloxone saves lives!” senior Zoe Lebkuecher typed on each flyer with a Spanish translation under each line along with where students and anyone on campus can find Narcan.
Lebkuecher’s attendance at a welcome event she found on Engage turned into what is now a passion, spreading Narcan awareness.
Lebkuecher transferred to App State last school year and attended an event hosted by the Collegiate Recovery Community. Lebkeucher said she has been working with the group ever since because of the community she found.
The university’s Collegiate Recovery Community helps students who are in recovery or wish to be in recovery and provides resources for those who want to support others throughout their recovery journey. The organization holds weekly recovery and community meetings.
Lebkuecher started to find ways to get involved with the Collegiate Recovery Community, which works hand-in-hand with Wellness & Prevention Services on campus.
Read the full article on the App State website.
CNN explains how Narcan can reverse an overdose
The FDA recently approved an opioid overdose antidote for over-the-counter use. CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how to use it.
I am a Force for Change
The Global Recovery Movement, Tunnel of Hope, and McShin Recovery Resources Foundation have authored a 50+ page catalog of resources for schools and communities to use. Many of the resources can be printed and customized for targeted usage.
Overdose death investigation training open to law enforcement
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Michael Easley recently announced that his office is offering Overdose Death Investigation Trainings to law enforcement agencies in Eastern North Carolina.
Trainings were held earlier this year in Fayetteville and Carteret counties. The next training is being held in Northeastern North Carolina on Aug. 2 at the College of the Albemarle in Manteo. An additional training is planned on Aug. 11 at the New Bern Police Department.
“North Carolina reported a 22% increase in overdose deaths in 2021 with more than 4,000 people losing their life in a single year, and more than 77% of the deaths likely involving fentanyl,” Easley said. “Given this new and alarming trend, we want to ensure that law enforcement is equipped with the latest tools, technology, and best practices to investigate these overdose deaths and bring charges when appropriate.”
Read the full article on The Daily Record website.
Look out for these new billboards raising awareness about North Carolina fentanyl deaths
Jeremiah Scales and 18 other faces are in rotation on two Winston-Salem billboards along Business 40.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Illicit fentanyl is a deadly drug.
According to the state Department of Health and Human Services, there was a 22% increase in Fentanyl deaths in North Carolina in 2021.
Families of 19 of those lives taken too soon were brave enough to put their loved one’s faces on display here in the Triad.
A roadside tribute to Jeremiah Scales warmed the hearts of his grandmother and mother Andrea Scales.
“To see his face on the screen with other angels who have lost their lives to such a deadly poison,” Scales said. “His beautiful face is still alive in his home city it means so much.”
Jeremiah and 18 other faces are in rotation on two Winston-Salem billboards along Business 40.
Read the full story on the WFMY website.
FENTVIC.ORG NC BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN
May 29-June 26, 2023, 24/7, digital and illuminated.
Winston-Salem, Forsyth County NC, 2 locations
Purpose is to raise awareness of the 13,376 NC victims of illicit fentanyl poisonings and to generate public safety conversations within communities and families about the dangers of illicit fentanyl, particularly counterfeit pills. Illicit fentanyl killed over 523 Forsyth County residents in the past 9 years, 2013-August 2022. (source: North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, Vital Statistics Death Certificate Data)
These are the first billboards of the FENTVIC.ORG Campaign. They feature 19 NC illicit fentanyl poisoning victims with permission of their families. The campaign will run in other cities throughout NC exclusively featuring NC illicit fentanyl poisoning victims. Future campaign locations and dates TBD.
FENTVIC.ORG NC BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN
Administered by Fentanyl Victims Network of NC (fentvic), www.fentvic.org,
Barb Walsh, Executive Director, 919-614-3830, barb@fentvic.org. Fentvic is a charitable nonprofit located in Cary NC. EIN #88-3921380. Fentvic fights illicit fentanyl in NC. Fentvic advocates for public safety for all and justice for NC families permanently damaged by illicit fentanyl poisonings.
In partnership with Forgotten Victims of NC, Patricia Drewes, Founder, 252-204-9611, patriciadrewes@yahoo.com, link to FB page: http://forgottenvictimsofnc.org/
Campaign Locations & Artwork developed Adams Outdoor Advertising, Julie Belnap, Account Executive,336-926-3850 (cell), jbelnap@adamsoutdoor.com
FENTVIC.ORG NC BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN: 2 locations in Winston Salem, Forsyth County
- Digital Group One features NC fentanyl victims Alexandra, Christian, Gabriella, Heaven, Hunter, Jared, Jeremiah, Robert, Sophia, and Zack: Billboard location: sign 305-4. B40 .12 miles East of Stratford Road N, Exit 3C N/side of highway Facing west. You can park off Miller Street (near Publix) behind the Mayberry’s Restaurant to view this digital (parking lot area there for viewing) Google Maps.
- Digital Group Two features NC fentanyl victims Abigail, Ashley, Carissa, Chase, Marshall, Martin, Michiko, Mikey, Sophia, and Vincent. Billboard Location: sign 602-4. B40 .37 miles West of Old Greensboro Rd/ Linville Road (Exit 10)NS Facing west. Take Exit 10 to Linville Road, and head towards Smokin’ Harley Davidson dealer. Go past the dealer toward Pepsi plant (turn around and you can park on side of service road for viewing) Google Maps.
Fentanyl And Fentanyl Pills Have Transformed The Drug Landscape Since 2015
This info-graphic was created by the Partnership for Safe Medicines. Additional verisons and sizes are available on their web site.