Learning to save lives on National Fentanyl Awareness Day
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Tuesday, May 7 is National Fentanyl Awareness Day, a day of action to help people understand the risks of fentanyl and prevent overdose deaths.
Fentanyl is commonly found in street drugs like cocaine and heroine. It is also often in fake prescription pills that people illegally buy on the street. The drug enforcement agency has found seven of every 10 counterfeit pills contain the lethal dose of fentanyl, which is just two milligrams.
"So think about when you're writing something. The tip of a pencil or a few grains of salt is about two milligrams. So this tiny amount is a lethal dose,” Eastern Idaho Public Health Health Education Specialist Senior Mallory Johnson said. “And with seven out of every ten counterfeit pills containing that lethal dose…it's really dangerous."
Throughout the month of May, EIPH is hosting free trainings on drug overdose prevention and response on these dates:
- Tuesday, May 7 @ 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. via ZOOM (Virtual Training)
- Thursday, May 9 @ 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. via ZOOM (Virtual Training)
- Tuesday, May 21 @ 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. via ZOOM (Virtual Training)
- Wednesday, May 22 @ 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. via ZOOM (Virtual Training)
You can sign up to attend on our HERE.
