South Central Public Health District is helping Idahoans battle the opioid epidemic with education, training, and resources. If you'd like to learn how to use naloxone, or would like your organization to learn, please sign up at the link above.
During an overdose, breathing can be dangerously slowed or stopped, causing brain damage or death. It’s important to recognize the signs and act fast. Signs include:
Addiction can happen to anyone. 1 in 7 Americans report a substance use disorder. In 2022, the National Institute of Health found 2.1 million Americans currently battled an opioid misuse disorder.
Opioid misuse disorder is especially common because it can start with prescription medication. The stigma surrounding this disorder limits how many people have access to treatment and prevents recovery. Talking openly about opioid misuse disorder and taking steps to prevent accidental overdoses can help save lives in your community.
Most overdoses are accidental. Children, emergency responders, and older adults can all be victim to accidental overdoses.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. It is especially addictive and can kill with just 2 milligrams.
Illicit drug producers are now lacing drugs with fentanyl to make them more addictive. This includes fake prescription pills. In fact, in 2022 the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) laboratory testing found 6 out of 10 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills now contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
In 2022, the DEA seized more than 50 million fentanyl laced pills and almost 11 thousand pounds of fentanyl powder. This combination is enough to create a lethal dose for the entire United States of America.
In 2021, Idaho Health and Welfare reported the state police seized about 125 thousand fentanyl pills. This is 5.6 times more than 2020.