In honor of National Fentanyl Awareness Day, May 7, I’d like to call attention to growing concerns around overdose and the impact illegal fentanyl has in rural Colorado. Over the past few years, we’ve continued to lose friends, loved ones and neighbors to fentanyl overdoses in our community, often through unknown contamination in other drugs. Fentanyl continues to take the lives of more and more Coloradans every year, with younger and younger individuals being affected. Fentanyl overdoses have occurred in restaurants, schools and other public places across the Western Slope. Carrying naloxone, also known as Narcan, is the best thing we can do to protect ourselves and our fellow community members.
There has been a lot of confusion over where and how many of these fentanyl overdoses happen. Fentanyl is being illicitly manufactured in the form of a white powder that can easily contaminate other drugs in a powder, crystal or pill form. We’ve had many reports over the past year of drugs like cocaine, MDMA and meth being contaminated in Western Colorado, as well as many recent Narcan uses at concerts and other events. Cannabis and vapes do not burn hot enough for fentanyl contamination to be possible, but it’s still better to be proactive and have preventative tools like Narcan on hand in case of an emergency.
High Rockies Harm Reduction works in collaboration with public health and safety departments across the state and Western Slope to promote prevention resources and get people the tools they need to stay safe when recreating or medicating with pills or powder drugs. In collaboration with other campaigns, like Keep the Party Safe (keepthepartysafe.org), we work to provide Narcan and fentanyl test strips, as well as relevant education and training, to people across the state, particularly those who attend concerts and/or work in the resort and service industries. These fields have been saturated with substance use for decades and they continue to be at high risk for fentanyl exposure and overdose.
We want everyone to be aware of the risks associated with using drugs like cocaine or any pills bought on the street or online. We encourage folks to obtain free fentanyl test strips for drug checking and free Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses. We never know exactly what someone took, and Narcan has no effect if a person is not experiencing an opioid overdose. You can get free supplies, education and support from High Rockies Harm Reduction (see our service schedule at www.highrockiesharmreduction.com). Narcan is also available for free at many public health departments and covered by most insurances as an over-the-counter medication at major pharmacies!
Fentanyl is much stronger than other opioids and we have less time to respond with Narcan than in traditional overdoses from drugs like heroin or morphine. That’s part of why it’s so important for as many people as possible to carry Narcan, especially at big events where it can be difficult for first responders to move through a crowd. It’s also important to remember that all first responders carry Narcan and there are laws in Colorado that protect you if you use Narcan and call 911 to report an overdose. We hope that folks take the steps to protect themselves and each other so we can all have a fun and safe spring and summer!
Maggie Seldeen is the founder and director of High Rockies Harm Reduction. She was raised and currently lives in Carbondale.