Fentanyl is real and what you hear is true!

[deurbano]

69. My childhood friend's beloved grandson, Nick, died of a fentanyl overdose last year at 24.

The medical examiner thought it was accidental, and that he didn't know he was injecting 100% fentanyl, since there had been similar overdoses in the area.

Another lovely boy from my extended family died of a fentanyl overdose this year at 24. In his case, they suspect the overdose was deliberate, because this highly intelligent, compassionate, handsome young man had been tortured with depression and opioid addiction since his senior year of high school. He dropped out of his high-ranked university as a freshman, and then never got back on track. His mother (who is also an amazing person and a fantastic mom) had to use Narcan to revive him at least four different times. When he died, he was at a rehab facility (again), and they were so hopeful this time would be different.

We need harm reduction measures ASAP.... like free fentanyl testing strips, Narcan, safe injection sites and much more overdose awareness/prevention education for users, loved ones and the public, in general. People are accidentally getting fentanyl, even when recreationally taking non-opioid drugs.

Nick was alone when he overdosed, so he had no chance, unless he had used a testing strip. There is a new invention (I think it's still in the testing stage) that involves the implantation of a pump that will automatically release Narcan if an overdose is detected. That could have helped Nick.

For my young relative, the situation was more complex, since he had access to much more support and many more financial resources than most people with substance use disorder, and received extensive help with interventions I think are considered best practices... but to no avail. I have to say I was naive about that, since I had thought that would ultimately be enough. (Of course, fentanyl has drastically reduced the possibility of second chances.) We need so much more research to find out how to better support those most vulnerable.

So much tragedy, devastating so many lives.