What is fentanyl? It is powerful synthetic opioid, similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Fentanyl was originally used as an anesthetic. It is approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain. The CDC reports that rates of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, have increased substantially in the last few years and that most of these recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, including overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl. What is the reason for this deadly increase? And what can be done about it?
Join Fred Munroe as he speaks with guests Katie Dolezal, Nurse Practitioner with San Luis Obispo (SLO) County Drug and Alcohol Services and Jenn Rhoads, SLO Opioid Safety Coalition Coordinator, SLO County Behavioral Health Prevention and Outreach about this alarming trend and what we can do as individuals and the community to help save lives.
You are invited to listen, learn and participate in the conversation, between 1-2 pm. Call in and be part of the discussion at (805) 549-8855 or email questions to voices@kcbx.org.
Broadcast date: 3/18/2021
Central Coast Voices is sponsored by ACTION for Healthy Communities in collaboration with KCBX and made possible through underwriting by Joan Gellert-Sargen.
