By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Seth Dewey, Substance Misuse Health Educator with the Reno County Health Department explained that overdoses of opioids are killing Reno County residents. Fentanyl and Carfentanil are two of the opioids causing many deaths across the country.
"Morphine is a very common one for surgeries and after surgeries," Dewey said. "Fentanyl is 100 times more potent, stronger than morphine. Then, Carfentanil, which is also what we're starting to see more of on the streets, is 1000 times more potent than morphine. What we have is some very strong narcotics that are being pushed out to the streets and unfortunately, mixed in with other substances, as well."
According to information from the Veteran's Administration, a 2 mg dose of Carfentanil will knock out an average size elephant. Naloxone is a medication that is sprayed in the nose or injected and can reverse an opioid overdose.
"When an overdose occurs, the ball fits right over that bowl on the receptor," Dewey said. "The Narcan or Naloxone will come along and push those balls off of those receptors, enabling the body to breathe again. This never, never relieves the person from the responsibility or the task of calling 911, because an individual can go back into overdose within 30 to 45 minutes."
Carrying anti-overdose medication functions similarly to other immediate lifesaving measures like defibrillators for heart issues or other immediate layperson healthcare interventions to allow medical professionals to get there to continue treatment.
"This is not uncommon right now," Dewey said. "This is nationwide. What it is, is it's just now reaching rural America. It's hard for us to think that something like this could be happening here. It's hard for us to adapt those different strategies and practices to our communities, because we would love to think that this is not something we would have to worry about. The harsh reality is, it's here and we have to adapt our approach."
There's no way of knowing if someone who bought opioids online bought from a reputable source or if they may have been combined with fentanyl or carfentanil. Even touching or inhaling either of those substances can be lethal.