On August 21, 2024, National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, Don Kyle, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the National Center for Wellness and Recovery (NCWR), reflected on the complex history of the drug.
“In the 1950s, the two main medications prescribed to manage pain were morphine for hospital use and Demerol for home use. In an effort to overcome their shortcomings, the Janssen pharmaceutical team invented fentanyl, which is 100 times more potent than morphine. Since the mid-1960s, it has become one of the world’s most important and frequently used opioid analgesics, most often used intravenously in hospitals for intraoperative analgesia,” said Kyle.
The Growing Threat of Illicit Fentanyl
While fentanyl has a legitimate medical use, its illicit form has become a primary driver of the drug overdose crisis in the United States. “Illicit fentanyl has become widely available for recreational use and is often disguised in counterfeit prescription tablets such as Adderall or mixed with other substances like cocaine, and it has become the main driver of drug-related overdose deaths in the U.S.,” Kyle explained.
DEA Efforts and Public Awareness
According to a news release, in 2023 alone the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized more than 80 million fentanyl pills and 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder—equivalent to more than 381 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl. The public can follow these efforts and track DEA fentanyl seizures on the DEA’s official website.
NCWR’s Commitment to Help
“Fentanyl is a dualistic drug that can facilitate life-saving surgical procedures but at the same time is the most dangerous drug threat our nation has ever faced,” Kyle said. At NCWR, the focus remains on treating patients with substance use disorders (SUD) while conducting cutting-edge research related to fentanyl and the reversal of its effects. “We commend the efforts of the DEA, border patrol and others working at the front-line of the crisis and who are involved in National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day. Every person in every community has a role to play by staying informed and communicating this drug threat far and wide.” Kyle said.
Faces of Fentanyl: Remembering the Lives Lost
As part of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, the DEA Museum will extend its hours on August 21, 2024. The Faces of Fentanyl exhibit commemorates the lives lost to this drug. It includes more than 5,000 faces, serving as a stark reminder of the lives lost and the ongoing work to reverse the fentanyl crisis.
Contact the NCWR Addiction Recovery Clinic at OSU at 918-561-1890 to schedule an appointment. In case of a medical emergency, please call 911. For immediate and confidential emotional support, please call 988 to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.