Page 20 - APR2023

Page 20 NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM April 2023
Healthy Living 6 out of 10 Fake Rx Pills Now Contain a
ContRiButeD By: Communi- ties foR alCohol- anD DRug- fRee youth (CaDy)
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is alerting the public of a sharp nationwide in- crease in the lethality of fentan- yl-laced fake prescription pills.
The DEA Laboratory has found that, of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills analyzed
in 2022, 6 out of 10 now con- tain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. This is an increase from DEA’s previous announce- ment in 2021 that four out of ten fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills were found to contain a po- tentially lethal dose.
“More than half of the fen- tanyl-laced fake prescription pills being trafficked in communities
across the country now contain a potentially deadly dose of fen- tanyl. This marks a dramatic in- crease – from four out of ten to six out of ten – in the number of pills that can kill,” said Admin- istrator Anne Milgram. “These pills are being mass-produced by the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel in Mexico. Never take a pill that wasn’t prescribed directly to you. Never take a pill from a friend. Never take a pill bought on social media. Just one pill is dangerous, and one pill can kill.”
Last year, the DEA issued a Public Safety Alert on the widespread drug trafficking of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills in American communities. These pills are largely made by two Mexican drug cartels, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco (CJNG) Cartel, to look identical to real prescription medications, including OxyContin®, Perco- cet®, and Xanax®, and they
are often deadly. In 2021, the DEA seized more than 20.4 mil- lion fake prescription pills. Ear- lier this year, the DEA conducted a nationwide operational surge to target the trafficking of fen- tanyl-laced fake prescription pills and, in just over three months, seized 10.2 million fake pills in all 50 states. Through its One Pill Can Kill campaign, the DEA is working to alert the American public of the dangers of fake prescription pills.
Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is 50 times more po- tent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, the small amount that fits on the tip of a pencil, is considered a po- tentially deadly dose. According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021, with 66 percent of those deaths involving synthetic opioids like
fentanyl. The Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco Cartel in Mexico, using chemicals largely sourced from China, are primarily re- sponsible for the majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in communities across the United States.
For more information on the dangers of fentanyl, please visit www.dea.gov/fentanyla- wareness.
For tips on how to talk to your child about prescription drug misuse, visit our website at cady- inc.org. If you, or someone you know, struggles with substance misuse or addiction, please call 2-1-1 or the Doorway at (934- 8905) for help. You can also nav- igate FindWellNH.org for local resources. Plymouth Area Re- covery Connection (PARC), our local recovery center, is located at Whole Village Family Resource Center in Plymouth at info@ parcnh.org or 238-3555.
Potentially Lethal Dose of Fentanyl
Established 1903
Independent Living • Assisted Living Memory Care • Respite Care
Long & Short-Term Care Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy Speech and Language Pathology Outpatient Rehabilitaion Services
(603) 837-3640 | Whitefield, NH | themorrisoncommunities.org
Children cannot eat what they cannot find.
SAFE USE – SAFE STORAGE – SAFE DISPOSAL
For more information, visit: CADYINC.ORG
Partnership for Public Health
LACONIA - The Partnership for Public Health is pleased to announce that it is now offering free at-home COVID-19 tests to the community. As COVID-19 continues to affect individuals around the world, and illness circulates amongst our commu- nities, it is important to stay in- formed about your health and take steps to protect yourself, and those around you. With these free at-home tests, community members can quickly and easily determine if their symptoms are COVID-19 related.
The initiative is part of the Partnership for Public Health’s ongoing efforts to improve the health of the region and assist the community with access- ing resources near them. These free tests will be available while supplies last and can be picked up at the Partnership for Public Health’s office at 67 Water Street,
Suite 105 in Laconia. Pick-up hours are Monday through Fri- day between 9 AM and 4 PM.
For more information, or questions, please call the PPH office at 603-538-2145. To stay up to date with the latest public health trends in your community, and learn more about how PPH is working towards a healthier re- gion, visit pphnh.org.
About the Partnership for Public Health: Serving the Lakes Region through health and well- ness initiatives, the mission of the Partnership for Public Health is to improve the health and well- being of the region through inter-organizational collabora- tion and community and public health improvement activities.
Provides Free
At-Home Covid Tests