FENTANYL:

The Deadly Synthetic Opioid Ravaging

Thurston County

by Natasha Ashenhurst

Fentanyl is causing a surge in overdoses and deaths in Thurston County, Washington. According to David Bayne, the Director of Thurston County Public Health and Social Services and co-chair of the Thurston County Opioid Task Force, Fentanyl is hard to detect and is often mixed with other drugs, including counterfeit prescription pills and heroin.

The street version of the drug is made in unregulated labs, making it even more dangerous. Bayne notes that the Fentanyl found on the streets is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

Kurt Hardin, the Director of Thurston County Emergency Services Department, adds that the Fentanyl crisis is straining EMS and hospitals, as bed capacity is becoming increasingly limited. He reports that emergency calls increased to over 40,000 in 2022, and the Fentanyl crisis compounds this already existing problem. At the state level, between 2016 and 2022, Fentanyl deaths have increased ten-fold.

Bayne explains that public health agencies in Thurston County have a dual strategy to prevent and respond to Fentanyl overdoses. “The first strategy is to raise awareness of the increased risk of Fentanyl and dispel any misinformation around it. The second strategy involves increasing the use of Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose,” he said. The spray is a huge benefit for the public, allowing them to administer something immediately that can help someone breathe. The agencies encourage individuals to call 911 first and then administer Narcan, instead of forgetting to call for help.

Kurt Hardin, Director of Thurston County Emergency Services Department

Hardin reports that emergency calls increased to over 40,000 in 2022, and the Fentanyl crisis compounds this already existing problem. At the state level, between 2016 and 2022, Fentanyl deaths have increased ten-fold.

Hardin adds that EMS is providing first responders and dispatching for drug overdoses. However, one challenge they face is that they don’t know what someone has ingested, as Fentanyl can be laced in a different product, making it difficult to know what someone is consuming. “We encourage individuals to seek treatment programs, and the county has put in place wraparound services to help individuals with their addiction process, as behavioral health issues often come along with any treatment,” he said.

Bayne reports that key workgroups at Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, including Treatment, Prevention, Overdose, Pregnancy, and Parenting, are working on awareness building, community education, and overdose awareness days. The state has also implemented an opioid settlement, which provides funding for prevention and treatment programs. Bayne believes this will be a significant part of Thurston County’s role in addressing the Fentanyl crisis.

Bayne emphasizes that access to Narcan is critical to prevent overdoses and death, and businesses should have policies and procedures in place to make Narcan available. Additionally, he stresses the need to remove the stigma around opioid use to make it safe for individuals to acknowledge their addiction and seek treatment.

Hardin adds that opioid use crosses all socioeconomic levels and is not limited to the houseless community, which is a common misconception. He is looking for innovative ways to partner with stakeholders, and this summer, the EMS hopes to roll out a program to provide Narcan leave-behind kits to individuals who won’t seek treatment.

Fentanyl is a serious public health concern that requires our collective attention and action. Public health agencies are working hard to raise awareness, increase the use of Narcan, and provide treatment programs to those who need them. But we can all do our part in preventing overdoses and saving lives.

Both Bayne and Hardin remind us that by making Narcan available and removing the stigma around opioid use, we can help protect our employees, customers, and neighbors. Opioid use affects everyone, regardless of their background or occupation. We must work together to address this crisis.

Fentanyl Epidemic Plagues United States: Criminal Justice System Shifts Focus to Public Health Approach in Addressing Addiction

by Natasha Ashenhurst

Fentanyl, a powerful opioid that can be mixed with other drugs, has become a widespread and deadly problem in the United States, according to Jon Tunheim, Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney. In an interview, he describes the evolution of the drug trade, its link to crime, and the new approach that the criminal justice system is taking to address substance use disorder.

Tunheim notes that substance use disorder has always been a major concern for the criminal justice system, with heroin and cocaine being the primary substances of concern in the 1990s. “Methamphetamine emerged in the early 2000s, and enforcement work on meth labs eventually led to their decline,” said Tunheim. “Opioids, such as prescription painkillers, became the next major focus, with regulation eventually cracking down on their use. However, Fentanyl is now the most prevalent and dangerous drug, as it is cheap, powerful, and can easily be mixed with other drugs.”

One of the main challenges with Fentanyl is that it is incredibly easy to overdose, and the dosage is often unpredictable. As a result, the criminal justice system is shifting its focus from treating substance use disorder as a criminal issue to a public health issue.

“The shift from treating Substance Use Disorder (SUD) from a crime and punishment approach to a public health and treatment approach has been evolving for several years, but has accelerated during the opioid epidemic and certainly now with the increase in Fentanyl. Criminal justice, in my view, needs to be a partner with public health to maintain a holistic approach to this epidemic,” he said.

“By working to create intervention points and pathways to treatment, the goal is to reduce the likelihood of recidivism and provide pathways to treatment for those struggling with substance use disorder,” he said.

Tunheim notes that drug courts are one of the best models for criminal justice and treatment. Focusing on drug trafficking and supplyside enforcement, while working with public health to address the demand side, is the key to combating Fentanyl's spread.

While a treatment deficit exists in the United States, Tunheim argues that a collaborative public health approach can be effective in addressing SUD.

Finally, Tunheim explains how important it is that everyone understand what Narcan is and how it can be used in the Fentanyl fight.

“There is a drug out there that can stop the effects of the opioid to prevent the overdose. It is called Narcan. Law enforcement and first responders carry Narcan. There is an order in effect statewide for people to get Narcan—it covers anyone in the state,” he said.

“Our County Health Department has free training. It is safe to use and easy to use and it is looked at as one of the leading strategies to interrupt an overdose in the moment.”

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Are Your Workplace Posters Up-to-Date?

Employers are legally required to display three free L&I posters in their workplace to inform employees of their rights and responsibilities. While new posters are not required every year, employers should ensure that they have the most up-to-date version on an annual basis.

You can check whether your business is displaying the most current versions by following the link below, and simply comparing the valid date listed with the date indicated at the bottom of your poster – just right of the publication number.

You can download the free posters at the link below or order online. Each poster is in English and Spanish—other alternativelanguage versions are available as well.

No one has to pay for or purchase these freely available posters—don’t fall for scammers who try to sell these posters to private companies!

www.lni.wa.gov/forms-publications/required-workplace-posters