The first observed National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness DayTM launches Sunday, August 21, 2022. The observance was founded by grassroots fentanyl awareness organizations representing affected families and their determination to address the public health problem of deadly illegally made fentanyl.
This day of remembrance honors the loved ones who have lost their lives due to illicit fentanyl and acknowledges the devastation this drug brings to hundreds of thousands of impacted family members and friends. The goal is to leverage as many organizations and communication channels as possible to reach under-resourced communities.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Illegally made fentanyl is a growing threat in the United States and is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses. Illegally made fentanyl, is showing up in the drug supply and in communities because it is often mixed in with other illegal drugs including counterfeit pills, increasing the chance of an overdose due to Illegally made fentanyl.
In response to this issue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed sharable resources to help educate the public about fentanyl-driven overdoses with our recent fentanyl campaign. The campaign resources include factsheets, videos, social media ads, and much more to explain the dangers of fentanyl and share ways to protect yourself, like using fentanyl test strips and carrying the lifesaving medication naloxone.
This August 21, take a pause, learn about the growing fentanyl-driven overdose crisis, and take action to spread awareness and help prevent your loved ones from an opioid overdose.
Additional resources:
- Fentanyl Facts
- Protect Yourself from the Dangers of Fentanyl
- Protect Friends and Family with Lifesaving Naloxone
- Stop Overdose Website | Español (Spanish)
- Drug-Free Communities (DFC)
- Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)
- Know the Signs and Get Help for Opioid Addiction
- Evidence-Based Strategies for Preventing Opioid Overdose
For more information about National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness DayTM, visit https://facingfentanylnow.org/
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