ST. LOUIS — May 10 has been recognized as the first-ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
In a video from DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, Milgram talked about the dangers of Fentanyl and how "one pill can kill."
“Fentanyl is killing Americans at unprecedented rates,” Milgram said. “On this first-ever National Fentanyl Awareness Day, please help save lives by making sure you talk with your friends and family about the dangers of this deadly drug.”
In a news release from the DEA's St. Louis division, fentanyl was described as "a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine."
The release said that fentanyl is highly addictive, as well as inexpensive and widely available. And a lot of times, the people who are overdosing and dying because of fentanyl don't even know they are taking fentanyl because it is often mixed with other illegal drugs.
The DEA St. Louis Divison reportedly seized nearly 400 pounds, or 180 kilograms, of fentanyl in 2021. The release said the amount was almost as much seized as in 2019 and 2020 combined.
The CDC reportedly estimates that 66% of 107,000 drug overdose deaths in a 12-month period ending in November 2021 were due to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, the release said.
The DEA created an exhibit for its museum, "The Faces of Fentanyl," to remember those who died as a result of fentanyl poisoning.
If you or someone you know has lost someone to fentanyl, the DEA invites you to submit their name and photo to fentanylawareness@dea.gov or post on social media with #NationalFentanylAwarenessDay.
To learn more about the dangers that come with fentanyl, you can check out the DEA's website or the CDC's website.
