Health and law enforcement officials were joined by San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson at a Fentanyl Safety Workshop about the dangers of the drug.
Anderson told the audience at Poway Library that substance abuse has had a noticeable impact in his District 2, which has more than 620,000 residents in over 50 communities including Poway, Rancho Bernardo and Ramona in addition to Julian, El Cajon and Santee.
“Opioid abuse has impacted so many in San Diego County,” he said at the May 7 workshop. “Nobody should lose their life over this.”
San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan introduced the topic of fentanyl with several statistics. In 2023 in the United States, 111,380 lives lost to drug overdoses, she said. Of those, 84,567 were opioid deaths and 77,845 were deaths related to fentanyl.
“It is not just a drug, it is literally a poison,” Stephan told a crowd of 100 attendees. “It is essentially murder by poison.”
San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan shared statistics about drug overdoses and fentanyl-related deaths.
(Julie Gallant)
Evidence indicates that fentanyl is not just affecting adults. Children under 5 years old can die from accidental ingestion if they touch fentanyl and then touch their mouths, she said. Teens are also unknowingly using it when they order pain medication or medication for sports injuries online, Stephan said.
The number of fentanyl-related overdoses in San Diego County has escalated, she said. In 2019 there were 152 overdoses related to fentanyl, which climbed to 462 overdoses in 2020, 814 in 2021 and 815 in 2022. The trend slowed last year to an estimated 744 overdoses based on information from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, said Stephan, who noted that prevention education programs are underway, particularly in local schools, in addition to advertising campaigns.
“We need to spread the circle of information,” she said. “Your attendance today makes a big difference. You are able to talk to your circles and make a difference.”
Stephan’s presentation was followed by information from James Fontaine, chief of the Narcotics Division in the county District Attorney’s office.
“Illicit fentanyl is so dangerous,” Fontaine said.
He said that 3 grams of pure fentanyl — equivalent to 3,000 milligrams or the average size of a packet of sugar — is enough to kill 1,500 people.
People are not ingesting pure fentanyl, he said by email after the workshop.
“Traffickers mix the fentanyl with other substances, primarily sugars in the case of fentanyl powder, and acetaminophen and caffeine and binding agents in the case of pills,” he wrote. “The fentanyl makes up a small percentage of what is being ingested but it is so strong, it is resulting in all the deaths being reported across the country.”
Legitimate uses for fentanyl include relieving pain for major surgery and burn patients. But illicit fentanyl is dangerous because it could be made in clandestine labs by untrained workers who are mixing chemicals and pressing them into pills and powder in varying dosages, Fontaine said.
He added that rudimentary mixing of ingredients could lead to high concentrations of fentanyl in one-half of a pill and a low concentration in the other half.
“You can’t see, smell or taste fentanyl,” he told the workshop attendees. “We’re now in the age of social media drug dealers. They fish for people online to see if there’s interest in buying legitimate medication.”
Fontaine provided several phone numbers as resources for drug-related issues: Call 9-1-1 for an emergency, call or text 9-8-8 to access a crisis line with a trained technician, or phone 2-1-1 for information or assistance with services.
Officials presented information about fentanyl to a packed audience at the Poway Library on May 7.
(Julie Gallant)
Sayone Thihalolipavan, a public health medical officer for the county of San Diego Health and Human Services, said that most nonfatal opioid overdoses are due to fentanyl. But even those who don’t die from the drug may be left with physical impairments that affect themselves, their families and their communities, he said.
Addiction changes the chemistry and wiring of the brain, and addicts on treatment often will relapse, he said.
Thihalolipavan said one in 12 people in San Diego County have had a substance use disorder, and nationally, 94 percent of individuals with a substance use disorder have not received any treatment.
Warning signs of possible drug use include changes in moods and personalities in addition to hygiene and physical health, he said. Additionally, the risks of substance use may increase with previous trauma, a family history of substance use and the presence of mental health issues, Thihalolipavan said.
Steps being taken to address the crisis include increasing community awareness through education and media campaigns and expanding the distribution of Naloxone, a narcotic overdose treatment known by the brand name Narcan, by placing 12 Naloxone vending machines throughout the county. Other steps include intervening early with people at risk for an overdose and improving detection of overdose outbreaks to facilitate a more effective response, he said.
One attendee suggested that public libraries make Narcan available to assist the public. Thihalolipavan said he would take that into consideration and discuss it with other officials.
Locally, free Narcan is available at San Diego County Sheriff’s Department stations. The Poway station is at 13100 Bowron Road and the Ramona station is at 1424 Montecito Road. A pamphlet is also available that can be scanned with a phone to watch a video on how to administer the nasal spray, a spokeswoman said.
Another attendee asked for a reminder on the Good Samaritan law in California, which gives legal protection to people who give reasonable help to others during emergencies and act in good faith.
“If you’re using drugs with someone and they overdose you will not be arrested if you call the police,” Stephan said. “It’s always a good idea to save someone’s life.”
Before the discussions, Anderson presented a check for $15,000 on behalf of the county of San Diego to Poway Recovery Center President Gwenev’re McCarthy. The check is designated for substance abuse treatment.
Supervisor Joel Anderson presents a $15,000 check for substance abuse treatment to Poway Recovery Center President Gwenev’re McCarthy.
(Julie Gallant)
The Poway Recovery Center’s works to facilitate recovery through education, social interaction and fellowship by providing resources for those suffering from dependency disorders including alcohol, drugs and mental health, according to officials.
McCarthy told attendees she became an advocate for substance abuse recovery after her 17-year-old daughter, Raina Bybee, was killed in July 1999 by a drunk driver on Midland Road. McCarthy said she also shares stories of her daughter’s life and the perils of drinking and driving through her volunteer service with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Poway Recovery Center hosts 140 groups, including those for youth, men and women, and senior groups each month, she said. The center at 13939 Poway Road, Suites 10 and 11 also has available Narcan, the over-the-counter treatment for opioid emergencies.
“There is help,” McCarthy said. “We do prevent overdoses proactively. We offer group therapy, group meetings and a 12-step program.”
Poway Recovery Center President Gwenev’re McCarthy offers group sessions to help prevent drug overdoses.
(Julie Gallant)
