Overview
Over the past few years, there has been a significant rise in accidental overdose deaths across the country and right here at home. In fact, according to the CDC, accidental overdose is now the leading cause of death for people in the U.S. under 50 years old. And the majority of those (around 70%) were driven by opioids, including the synthetic opioid, fentanyl. Here in Oklahoma, that translates to nearly 1,000 accidental overdose deaths related to opioids every year. That’s hard to accept. But what’s even harder, is that many of them could have been avoided with life-saving resources like naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
Naloxone can help reverse an accidental overdose by restoring a person’s breathing to allow enough time for emergency services to respond. However, someone who is experiencing an overdose can’t administer naloxone to themselves. That’s why this is for every Oklahoman.
The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) wants to provide awareness and access to overdose prevention resources. It’s important to remember, there is no profile for people who use substances. Naloxone and fentanyl test strips can help safely reduce the risk of fatal overdose for every Oklahoman. Many young people are losing their lives after unknowingly taking a substance that contains fentanyl, like counterfeit pills and recreational street drugs. Illicit fentanyl is so strong that an amount equal to a grain of rice can be fatal.