National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day

Haywood County -- August 21, 2024: Haywood County Sherriff's Office: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

observes National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day today, Wednesday, August 21, 2024. It’s a critical time to talk about the impact of fentanyl on our communities.  

According to the US CDC, over 107,543 people died from drug poisonings or overdoses last year. A RAND Corporation study revealed that 42% of Americans know someone who has died from a drug-related death. The DEA seized more than 80 million fentanyl pills and 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2023.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is about 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It is inexpensive, widely available, and highly addictive, appearing in various forms including powder and pills. Drug traffickers often mix fentanyl with other substances, leading many victims to unknowingly ingest this dangerous drug. Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and last year, nearly 70% of drug-related deaths in the US involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Help us prevent fentanyl poisoning and its deadly impact by educating ourselves and raising awareness of its dangers.
For more information about DEA’s Faces of Fentanyl exhibit including the address, security rules and procedures, and normal hours of operation please visit dea.go/fentanylawareness