ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. – Rockbridge Area Prevention Coalition is working to shine a light in honor of National Fentanyl Awareness Day, which is recognized on May 9.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
Many opioids are being laced with fentanyl, and users do not know until it’s too late.
Officials blame the rise in fentanyl as the reason the number of overdoses is increasing.
“Fenantly is getting to be a bigger and bigger problem in this country. We are mostly trying to educate people on how we can help solve this crisis,” said RAPC’s Opioid Response Prevention Coordinator, Dory Mattioli.
Officials say one of the best ways to help combat the fentanyl crisis is to get trained on how to use Narcan, a drug that reverses overdoses.
The RAPC hosts monthly training sessions on how to administer Narcan.