How can you tell the difference between legitimate medication, candy, and fentanyl?
The increase in fentanyl-related incidents has raised alarm bells across our community in Bradenton. This dangerous drug is a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine. Doctors typically use it to treat severe pain, but if used illegally, it can have devastating consequences.
“Each year Fentanyl, and those who deal drugs that are laced with fentanyl, kill dozens of citizens right here in Manatee County,” said Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells.
There is a misconception that overdoses only happen to people who have been using drugs for a long time, but Sarasota Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman has seen the dangers of fentanyl firsthand.
“This is a deadly drug, and in many cases, it does kill people, and sometimes it’s killed people who have taken it for the very first and only time,” Hoffman said in the documentary The Fentanyl Project.
To deceive users and increase sales, drug dealers may make fentanyl look like pharmaceutical drugs like Adderall or Xanax. If people cannot get these medications legally from their doctor, they might resort to the dark web, social media or even asking friends. However, the advice from Hoffman is that if you didn’t get it prescribed by your doctor and given to you by your pharmacist, do not take it.” One pill can kill.
Our local Police are working hard to shut down the dealers. Only last month, they had the most significant fentanyl seizure in Manatee County history. According to Wells, the investigators seized over 1.7 million worth of narcotics. However, the Police can not do this alone. We need to come together as a community to stop this deadly drug from destroying more lives.
The first step is education. Fortunately, our school and the Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County are unifying to raise awareness of the Fentanyl crisis affecting our community with the showing of the Fentanyl Project, directed by KY Curran on April 28th.
The 26-minute documentary film examines the impact of illegal fentanyl poisoning in Sarasota and Manatee Counties, and what authorities are doing to combat it. There is no charge to attend and it is open to the public, but do keep in mind that the film is intended for more mature audiences, including Middle and High School-aged students.
There will be a panel discussion and Q&A session following the film. Our very own Danielle Perkins, the Director of Student Support and Wellness, will be joined by KT Curran, the film’s director; Ally Bergman, Executive Director of North River Prevention Partners; Patricia Blizzard from Manatee County Public Safety; Sgt Paul Buso, and the Head of the Overdose Response Unit for Manatee County PD. The panel will also include Nanette, Matt, and Brittany, a family directly impacted by fentanyl who are featured in the film.
Please consider attending this showing and inviting all of your friends and family to join you. Raising awareness about the Fentanyl crisis and engaging in discussions about mental health, coping strategies, and the importance of reaching out for help can give you the tools you need to manage life’s pressures. Experiences that include real-life scenarios and personal stories can make the information relatable and impactful. If for some reason, you are not able to make it, please spend the short 26 minutes watching the documentary by clicking the link here. Doing so could save lives.
