TENNESSEE, USA — District attorneys in Tennessee have joined forces on a campaign to fight fentanyl abuse in the state.
Fentanyl is the most prevalent synthetic opioid in the United States and overdoses have increased exponentially in Tennessee over the last few years.
It is often illegally sold on the streets disguised as other drugs, where users unknowingly take too much and ultimately overdose. A dose as small as two milligrams, roughly equivalent to the weight of four grains of sand, is considered lethal to the average person, according to a press release.
Knox County DAG Charme Allen has joined the rest of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference to launch a statewide awareness effort called “Fentanyl: The Deadliest High.”
Even with more people using and dying of fentanyl overdoses, many people still aren't aware of the dangers.
According to the release, district attorneys conducted focus groups with middle and high schoolers across the state to determine the awareness level of fentanyl and its dangers.
“In our research, we discovered a lack of education around the dangers and prevalence of fentanyl and opioids in general,” said Guy Jones, executive director of TNDAGC. “Our youth are our future. It is with that in mind that we work to inform them on the realities of addiction and overdose. We want this effort to be the start of the end of fentanyl and deadly drug abuse in Tennessee, and we must work together to make this goal a reality.”
“We are doing everything we can to keep dangerous drugs out of Knox County,” states District Attorney General Charme Allen. “Oftentimes, people aren’t even aware they are using fentanyl, which is why it can be so dangerous. Raising awareness about this deadly drug can save lives in our community.”
The awareness effort will heavily utilize social media to reach students across the state and disseminate the message of the deadly nature of fentanyl, especially with the risks associated with street drug usage.
You can learn more on this website and by following the TNDAGC on social media @TNDistrictAttorneys (Facebook) and @TNDAGC (Twitter and Instagram).