Fort Worth has seen a growing number of opioid overdoses as the fentanyl crisis continues across the country.
In 2023, Fort Worth firefighters saw a nearly 25% increase in overdose calls where they’ve had to use Narcan, an over-the-counter prepackaged nasal spray containing naloxone which is an opioid antagonist that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.
The increase in calls has prompted firefighters to host a community Narcan and CPR training event aimed at saving lives and preventing future addiction.
“This isn't something that's just in a certain part of town. It's not a certain age or demographic. It's all over town. And before long, it's going to be through your front door in one way or another," said Fort Worth Fire Department representative Craig Trojacek.
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As of April, there had been 86 incidents where Narcan was administered. The Fort Worth Fire Department said that number is more than half the total responses of 2023.
“Surpassing the halfway mark before we got to the halfway within the year is just showing us that those numbers are continuing to climb, which means more families are being affected from this disease and from these addictions,” Trojacek said.
The Fort Worth Fire Department wants to be proactive in fighting fentanyl in the community and they say now is the time.
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“As far as the people that don't think that can happen here in Fort Worth, it's already here. I mean, we're already making these calls. We're already going out and help saving these lives,” Trojacek said. “And there's the other side of it, too, that we're having to have some tough conversations with family members that their loved ones are no longer around.”
Trojacek said the training and clinic are also open to people who are facing addiction.
“The ideal person to be able to come to this event would be anybody that's already fighting addiction, that may be in a state of mental health that thinks that they have no alternatives to go out there and look for help, that they're already too far past the past the line of being saved,” Trojacek said. “If you're in any one of those scenarios, we want you here.”
The event is Tuesday, May 21 at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. It is open to the public and free.
WHAT IS NARCAN?
Narcan is an over-the-counter prepackaged nasal spray containing naloxone hydrochloride which is an opioid antagonist that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, but only temporarily.
According to the manufacturer, "Narcan nasal spray is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose emergency with signs of breathing problems and severe sleepiness or not being able to respond."
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that is used to reverse an opioid overdose.
SAMHSA said because naloxone is a temporary treatment its effects do not last long and it's critical to obtain medical intervention as soon as possible after administering or receiving naloxone.
WHAT IS NALOXONE?
According to the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse, naloxone is a medicine that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose by attaching itself to opioid receptors and either reversing or blocking the effects of opioids.
"Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose. But, naloxone has no effect on someone who does not have opioids in their system, and it is not a treatment for opioid use disorder. Examples of opioids include heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, and morphine.
Naloxone comes in two FDA-approved forms, injectable and as a nasal spray.
Naloxone works for only 30 to 90 minutes and many opioids remain in the body longer than that. It is possible for a person to still experience the effects of an overdose after a dose of naloxone wears off so it's imperative to call 911 or get the overdosing person medical attention as soon as possible after the dose is administered.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on March 29, 2023, approved selling naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.
A different drug, Opvee (nalmefene) is also an emergency nasal spray medication used to reverse an opioid overdose. Opvee, however, is not approved for over-the-counter use and can only be obtained with a prescription. Nalmefene stays in the body longer than naloxone and may be more effective for overdoses caused by long-acting opioids but it also may come with more opioid withdrawal symptoms.
DOES THE FDA APPROVAL MEAN I CAN BUY NARCAN AT CVS OR WALGREENS?
Yes. Narcan is currently available over-the-counter at pharmacies.
Other brands of nasal sprays (RiVive) and injectables may also soon be available over the counter.
WHAT IS FENTANYL?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Just two milligrams of fentanyl, which is equal to 10-15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose.
Without laboratory testing, there is no way to know how much fentanyl is concentrated in a pill or powder. If you encounter fentanyl in any form, do not handle it and call 911 immediately.
Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 107,622 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2021, with 66% of those deaths related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
Drug poisonings are the leading killer of Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. Fentanyl available in the United States is primarily supplied by two criminal drug networks, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
WHAT IS RAINBOW FENTANYL?
In August 2022 the Drug Enforcement Administration issued a public advisory about the alarming emerging trend of colorful fentanyl available nationwide.
Brightly-colored fentanyl, dubbed "rainbow fentanyl" in the media, is being seized in multiple forms, including pills, powder, and blocks that resemble sidewalk chalk.
“Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentanyl and defeat the Mexican drug cartels that are responsible for the vast majority of the fentanyl that is being trafficked in the United States.”
Despite claims that certain colors may be more potent than others, there is no indication through DEA’s laboratory testing that this is the case. The DEA said every color, shape, and size of fentanyl should be considered extremely dangerous.
