Fentanyl Resources

 

The United States in the midst of a Fentanyl overdose epidemic. Over 100,000 Americans died as a result of this drug in 2021, driven by traffickers mass-producing fake or counterfeit pills. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any other cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, and all other accidents.Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid administered to reduce severe pain. It is 50% more concentrated than morphine, therefore when abused can cause brain and other health effects, including death. Four out of every ten pills with fentanyl tested by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) contain a potentially lethal dose and counterfeit pills have also been found to contain fentanyl-related substances and methamphetamine.

SOCIAL MEDIA DRUG SALES

No longer confined to street corners and the dark web, criminal drug networks are now in every home and school in America because of the internet apps on our smartphones. Senator Umberg has introduced Senate Bill 60 (SB 60), which would authorize a person to seek a court order requiring a social media platform to remove content pertaining to the sale of illegal drugs.

The drug overdose epidemic has continued to worsen in the United States over the last several years as synthetic opioids, particularly illicit fentanyl, enter the market. Of specific concern is the primary method through which many individuals, especially teenagers, unlawfully purchase illicit fentanyl and other controlled substances—social media.

Drug traffickers solicit customers via social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube. In many cases, traffickers and buyers alike use social media features such as temporary or disappearing posts that help conceal their activities. Illicit drugs offered on these social media sites can include methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. In addition, fentanyl and other drugs are often falsely marketed as legitimate prescription pills but instead are counterfeit pills that were illicitly manufactured and are illegally distributed.

News outlets have reported that there are known drug dealers using social media to sell drugs, but even after law enforcement and concerned users make the platform aware, platforms are slow to respond in removing accounts. 

As a society we bear a collective responsibility to care for our citizens.  Social media sites need to be more proactive and aggressive in their enforcement of their terms of service, which include prohibitions on drug sales. SB 60 is an attempt to stop drug traffickers from using social media to distribute drugs and prevent unintentional overdoses.

Review our Fact Sheet or the text of SB 60.

Register your support for SB 60 here or share your fentanyl story.

 

9-1-1 GOOD SAMARITAN LAW

This year, Senator Umberg has also introduced Senate Bill 250 (SB 250), which expands California’s 911 Good Samaritan law to include self-reporting of fentanyl poisonings and opioid overdoses to law enforcement and medical assistance through fentanyl testing strips and other medical devices such as smart watches.

On January 1, 2013, California became the tenth state to implement a “911 Good Samaritan” overdose fatality prevention law (AB 472, Ammiano, 2012).

California’s 911 Good Samaritan Law, states:

“It shall not be a crime for any person who experiences a drug-related overdose, as defined, who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance, or any other person who, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for the person experiencing a drug related overdose, to be under the influence of, or to possess for personal use, a controlled substance, controlled substance analog, or drug paraphernalia, under certain circumstances related to a drug-related overdose that prompted seeking medical assistance if that person does not obstruct medical or law enforcement personnel.”

Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. FTS are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables). While relatively new, FTS are being used with higher frequency as they become available throughout California.

While California’s Good Samaritan Law does protect those who call 9-1-1 during an overdose from prosecution, it does not include similar provisions for people who use medical devices like FTS to test their drugs, find them to be contaminated, and choose to report their product to law enforcement.

Review our Fact Sheet or the text of SB 250 to learn more about SB 250.

Register your support for SB 250 here or share your fentanyl story.

Fentanyl Resources

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For Families & Educators

 

For Medical Providers

 

Orange County

 

Los Angeles County

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