By: John Richardson, Mobile County Health Department November 1, 2022
His Recovery Story
Mr. Richardson is a substance disorder therapist. He is a long-term recovering addict. When he was in high school, he was exposed to underage drinking and the use of drugs. It was a normal occasion for his family for underage children to drink beer or smoke. Fantasy was his very first drug of choice. His father was a very strict military man, he believed that all chores should be done on time and with no nonsense. When he was young he wanted to be Mr. Spac, he was always logical and a man of emotions. When he first went to school he was first introduced to marijuana. He immediately was addicted, he was stuck on it.
Then, he went to the University of Wisconsin on an academic scholarship. Without the supervision of his parents, he continued to do no school work and he got high almost every day. Eventually, he was kicked out of college. When he came back, he was so embarrassed that he just continued to drink and smoke. Finally, at the age of 30, he got married. He believed that the marriage would've helped him get back on the right track. He was wrong, eventually, his wife left him. This led to him going to recovery and going back to college to get a degree. He will be celebrating his 34th year of recovery this November 15th.
What is Fentanyl and Why is it So Dangerous?
Fentanyl is a highly addictive opioid. Fentanyl is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. It is synthetically produced to treat extreme pain, like cancer patients. It is normally given through a patch, instead of through a drip like more common pain medications. Fentanyl is also known as Actiq, Duragesic, and Sublimize.
Illicit Fentanyl is made underground, mostly in foreign labs. This drug is smuggled into the United States through Mexico and distributed on the illegal drug market. Fentanyl is added to various types of other drugs to increase potency and addictive properties. Today, Fentanyl has been found in various drugs including heroin, cocaine, MDMA, marijuana, and methamphetamine. One kilogram of Fentanyl has the ability to kill 500,000 people.
One of the main reasons Fentanyl is so prominent in today's society is it's low cost, availability, and it's addictive properties. This practice has led to an increase in the number of overdose deaths from illicit drugs. Many people who ingest Fentanyl are unsuspecting, therefore the levels of Fentanyl can be immediately lethal. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that in 2017, 59% of opioid-related overdose deaths involved Fentanyl as compared to 14.3% in 2010. Fentanyl and the practice of mixing it with other drugs is killing thousands of people.
STREET NAMES:
- Apace - China Town
- China Girl - Dance Fever
- China White - Goodfellas
- Great Bear - He-Man
Xylazine
Xylazine is a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use. Xylazine is most commonly used with Fentanyl. Studies have shown that overdose deaths linked to Xylazine have spread westward across the United States. From 2015-2020, the percentage of all drug overdose deaths involving Xylazine increased from 2% to 26% in Pennsylvania. Most overdose deaths linked to both Xylazine and Fentanyl also involved additional substances, including cocaine, heroin, benzodiazepines, alcohol, gabapentin, methadone, and prescription opioids. You can identify Xylazine as a white crystalline solid that easily blends into powdered street drugs.
IF YOU SEE SOMEONE HAVING AN OVERDOSE, SUMMON MEDICAL ATTENTION. NALOXONE/NARCAN WILL NOT REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF XYLAZINE, BUT ALWAYS ADMINISTER NALOXONE IF THE SYMPTOMS PRESENT AS A POSSIBLE OPIOID OVERDOSE.
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