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Fentanyl abuse equals the most extreme drug crisis in history. A synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, fentanyl is cheap and powerful. Thus, drug overdoses have surpassed car accidents as the number one accidental cause of death. Tarzana Treatment Centers provides medications for addiction treatment that work.

As a provider in Southern California of integrated and compassionate treatment services, Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC) battles on the front lines of the fentanyl abuse epidemic. Indeed, this epidemic is a deadly extension of what traditionally has been called the opioid epidemic. However, fentanyl abuse increases the lethality of the epidemic.

Fentanyl Abuse Epidemic = Increased Lethality

A synthetic opioid created to treat severe pain, typically in advanced cancer patients, pharmaceutical fentanyl is a hospital drug. Hence, such a dangerous synthesis of ultra-powerful opioids is not supposed to be available on the streets.

Prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges, the specialty drug is for extreme chronic pain or surgical recovery. Despite this fact, it is now one of the most common drugs for sale by drug dealers. Moreover, homemade fentanyl is now the number one contaminant in other illegal drugs, resulting in a sharp rise in accidental overdoses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “More than 56,000 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids in 2020. The latest provisional drug overdose death counts through June 2021 suggest an acceleration of overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic.… The increase in overdose deaths highlights the need to ensure people most at risk of overdose can access care, as well as the need to expand prevention and response activities.”

Drug Prevention and Treatment vs. Fentanyl Abuse

As a provider of both drug prevention and treatment services in multiple communities, TTC agrees 100% with the CDC’s recommendations. Since under-served and disadvantaged populations are in the greatest danger, funding is essential to stem the tide of the fentanyl abuse epidemic. Although people from all walks of life are dying of drug overdoses related to fentanyl abuse, people lacking resources and education are truly in the greatest danger.

In response to the fentanyl abuse epidemic and the continuing rise in drug overdoses, the CDC issues a Health Alert Network Advisory to medical and public health professionals, first responders, harm reduction organizations, and other community partners:

• Expand distribution and use of naloxone and overdose prevention education
• Expand awareness about and access to and availability of treatment for substance use disorders
• Intervene early with individuals at highest risk for overdose
• Improve detection of overdose outbreaks to facilitate more effective response

Indeed, without these directives becoming a reality, the fentanyl abuse epidemic will continue.

A Further Directive = Medications for Addiction Treatment

At Tarzana Treatment Centers, Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT Services) are a priority when addressing fentanyl abuse and opioid use disorder (OUD). Beyond reducing drug overdoses, MAT Services help prevent patients from using their drug of choice. Thus MAT Services pave a road to recovery. Most importantly, by mitigating the withdrawal pains of getting off the drug, MAT Services reduce the incidence of relapse.

With fentanyl abuse, relapse is more deadly than ever before. The incredible danger of illegally synthesized street fentanyl is the imprecision and randomness of the drug. Hence, it is very hard for a user to know the potency of the dose they are taking. Given the power of fentanyl, such a question mark often results in the exclamation point of a deadly overdose.

In the hard light of such tragic outcomes, preventing and treating fentanyl abuse remains a top priority for Tarzana Treatment Centers. If you or a loved one is struggling with an opioid use disorder, you most likely are in danger of a deadly overdose. Whether you consciously take fentanyl or experience common drug contamination, the results are the same.

Please stop playing Russian Roulette with your life and contact Tarzana Treatment Centers by calling (888) 777-8565. Indeed, today is the day to help stop the fentanyl abuse epidemic.