Fentanyl on the Front Lines: A Supply and Demand Issue
Fentanyl is a problem. Not just close to home, where 5,622 Floridians died of fentanyl-related overdose in a single 12-month period, but across America. Every day, fentanyl and related synthetic drugs take the lives of 150 people. About 55,000 Americans die each year. On the part of government enforcement agencies, there is an all-out attack to stop fentanyl supply chains into the country.
What is Fentanyl, and Why Should Every American Be Concerned?
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid. Its FDA-approved uses are pain relief and anesthesia. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. On the street, fentanyl is often found in fake pills, mimicking prescription drugs, such as oxycodone. Though the pills may look legitimate, dosages are never precise. Five out of 10 counterfeit pills tested by the DEA contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
Because fentanyl is relatively cheap and highly addictive, there is a better profit margin for drug cartels smuggling it across the border. Unfortunately, these criminal organizations do not care about the cost of human lives.
Florida Fentanyl Crackdowns
This January, four federal prison sentences were reports seizing more fentanyl supply in the last two years than the previous five combined. “We’re talking about a demand on a scale that we’ve really never experienced before,” said Mr. Miller. “We’re going to do our part at the border and beyond. But we also need to do something about demand. … We cannot seize our way out.”
Handling The Demand: A Real Solution
Like any opioid or synthetic opioid substance, fentanyl causes a false calm or “high” feeling, followed by the painful symptoms of withdrawal. Just one dose is enough to get hooked…or die. Educational initiatives such as “One Pill Can Kill” run by the DEA can be of benefit—if they reach youth before they start to experiment.
One major component to stemming the demand is helping those already using. Narconon Suncoast provides a completely drug-free withdrawal method that not only helps an addict break the vicious cycle of drug use but also assists them in understanding and addressing the reasons they started taking drugs in the first place.
Help Them Live Drug-Free with Narconon
If you or a loved one are struggling with substance abuse, don’t wait until it’s too late. When a single pill can make the difference between life or death, the stakes are just too high. Narconon Suncoast can assist you with preparing an intervention for a loved one, or helping make arrangements for your own arrival. Let us help you open the door to a drug-free future. Find out how Narconon Suncoast’s drug rehabilitation program has made a definitive change in thousands of lives. Call today for a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable staff.
