HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. – Tuesday is Nationwide Fentanyl Consciousness Day, a day to recollect victims of fentanyl poisoning, and to teach individuals concerning the menace that is killing Individuals in staggering numbers.
On Lengthy Island, grieving family members of victims gathered with a message.
“The rocks earlier than you signify our kids, our pals, our coworkers. our neighbors,” Steven Chassman, government director of the Lengthy Island Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence mentioned.
The rocks are a illustration of lives misplaced to fentanyl: 175 per day in our nation. That is one loss of life each eight and a half minutes.
On Fentanyl Consciousness Day, unhappiness spilled over outdoors the Suffolk legislature. The DEA calls it the best menace to Individuals at present.
“I only recently misplaced my son. April 4th of this yr. He was 28 years previous,” mentioned Joanne Pacheco.
Pacheco had a message to folks.
“Do not be ashamed. Assist them. Assist them. They’re individuals. Simply open up their eyes. They must admit they’ve an habit,” Pacheco mentioned.
Fentanyl does not solely kill these hooked on opioids. It is also hidden by traffickers in so-called leisure and examine medicine. One capsule can kill.
“Counterfeit medicine like Xanax, Adderall, Ritalin could look innocent, however usually include deadly doses of fentanyl,” Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn mentioned.
Suffolk Police say many of the 400 overdose deaths within the county final yr concerned fentanyl, which is 50 occasions stronger than heroin, odorless, tasteless and deadly.
“An quantity equal to 2 grains of salt may cause an overdose,” Suffolk County Deputy Police Commissioner Anthony Carter mentioned.
It was a day of unhappiness, but additionally one among hope that speaking concerning the scourge can save lives, together with spreading information that restoration companies can be found.
“Too many individuals are hiding behind closed doorways and never acknowledging that our communities will not be like Mayberry,” mentioned Dorothy Knowlton Johnson.
Dad and mom are urged to open robust conversations with youngsters earlier than it is too late.
The DEA says fentanyl kills extra Individuals below 45 than automobile accidents and than most cancers. Folks of all ages should know any illicit drug purchased on the web or the road can kill you.
