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In 2022, 1,799 people fatally overdosed in Colorado. Fentanyl was present in more than half of these deaths.
Prowers County is not immune from this epidemic. According to the Prowers County Coroner’s Office, in May 2023 Lamar saw two suspected lethal fentanyl overdoses in a twoweek span.
According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, opioids are a factor in at least seven out of every 10 overdose deaths. This includes prescription opioids (such as oxycontin), illicit drugs (many of which contain fentanyl) and heroin.
Why Fentanyl Is So Dangerous
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is the deadliest of all opioids. It is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just 2.2 pounds of fentanyl contains 250,000 lethal doses. Drug Enforcement Administration testing reveals that two out of every five pills with fentanyl contain a potentially lethal dose.
Fentanyl comes in prescription and illegal forms. Prescription fentanyl is sometimes prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, such as for surgery patients and those with advanced-stage cancer.
Suicidal Thoughts? Call or Text 988.
Suicidal Thoughts? Call or Text 988.
Everyone knows 911 is the number to call for most emergencies.
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If you or someone you know needs support right now, day or night, call or text 988, or start a chat at 988lifeline.org.
If you or someone you know needs support right now, day or night, call or text 988, or start a chat at 988lifeline.org.
Illegally made fentanyl (IMF) is widely used in the street-drug market because it is potent and inexpensive. Street names for IMF include Jackpot, Murder 8, and Tango & Cash. It is often mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine and made into inexpensive pills that resemble prescription opioids. It is also sold in the form of nasal sprays, eye drops and small candies.
Because IMF is commonly mixed in with other drugs, users often don’t know they’re taking it. They may think they’re buying recreational Adderall, Xanax, cocaine or another opioid but wind up with pills containing fentanyl.
“My experience in Prowers County is that folks who buy illicit narcotics are unaware that they may be laced with fentanyl,” said Dr. William Quirk, Prowers Medical Center’s ER Medical Director.
Opioid Overdose—What to Do
Knowing the signs of an opioid overdose could help save a life. If you notice the following symptoms, call 911 immediately:
• “Pinpoint” pupils—small and constricted
• Falling asleep or losing consciousness
• Slow, weak or no breathing
• Choking or gurgling sounds
• Limp body
• Cold, clammy or discolored skin
If you believe the affected person may have overdosed, first call 911 then administer naloxone (Narcan) if you have it. Try to keep the person awake and breathing. Prop the person up on their side to prevent choking and stay with them until EMS care providers arrive.
Dr. Quirk treats overdose patients in the Prowers Medical Center Emergency Room. Usually, patients who overdose on opiates arrive by ambulance. When a person is found unresponsive from a suspected overdose, Narcan is administered by the responding EMS team. Once the patient arrives at the hospital, the ER doctors and nurses continue lifesaving care.
“These patients live to see another day,” Dr. Quirk said, “but not all opioid overdose patients are so fortunate.”
Naloxone (Narcan) is a medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including fentanyl. Keeping it on hand could mean the difference between life and death—for you or someone else. It is available at many Colorado pharmacies without a prescription, and the cost may be covered by your insurance. Visit stoptheclockcolorado.org to find a location near you. Narcan is also available for emergency room patients at Prowers Medical Center.
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