Wayne County has been cited as one of the communities statewide with a serious, high, drug overdose problem. Most of the issue deals with fentanyl laced drugs, including street marijuana purchases.
On Monday (10/2) a presentation was made on the Mental Health Department to the County Health and Medical Services Committee.
Opioid settlement funds, secured from pharmaceutical companies, by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, are being utilized pay for and to place Narcan Red Box overdose emergency kits around the County.
Public Health staff are performing actual placement of boxes in parks, churches, businesses and locations where drug overdoses seem to occur. According to Wayne County Mental Health Director, Jim Haitz, the boxes will be placed "Any where a number of people could benefit from it. We want to make it highly accessible. There are of opioids out there on the street."
With its high death rate, why would drug dealers lace drugs with fentanyl, effectively killing off their potential customers?
According to experts, there are many reasons fentanyl has become such a widely used illicit drug, despite its high overdose potential.
Fentanyl is not always a death sentence. There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illegally made fentanyl. Both are considered synthetic opioids. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer.
Haitz stated that drug addicts are always chasing the better high and dealers wanting a steady, growing customer base began adding fentanyl to their drugs.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 100 times more potent than morphine is a major contributor to fatal and non-fatal overdoses throughout the United States.
The problem begins with drug dealers who often think they can mitigate the risk for their clients by measuring the fentanyl carefully. Unfortunately drug dealers are not equipped, or fully understand the drug they are dealing with. Fentanyl is often found in drugs like cocaine, counterfeit Xanax, counterfeit Adderall, or other drugs not classified as opioids.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), illegally made fentanyl (IMF) is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder.
Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl.
Mr. Haitz noted Wayne County has a high overdose rate and drug test stripes attached to the boxes are available at no cost.
Supervisors questioned if individuals using drugs would bother to test them for safety. Mr. Haitz said there are some that will.
Health Department Director, Diane Devlin said she would keep track of the number of test stripe that are removed from narcan red boxes.
The County Health Department aims to distribute 100 of the boxes in the coming weeks and will monitor the boxes for use and restocking.
Besides the Red Boxes, the County staff continue with Narcan training, kit distribution and efforts to make narcan accessible to all residents.
The kits are available free at the County Complex and will be distributed through by the County Public Health and Mental Health Departments, including the mobile van unit.
