Yuma Sun series taking in-depth look at fentanyl

Three-day feature sheds light on challenges of drug in community

One of the newest problems in Yuma County over the last year has been the rise in fentanyl abuse.

The situation is impacting teens and adults alike, devastating families.

A few weeks ago, I asked our Yuma Sun reporters to take a more in-depth look at the situation, and find out what, exactly, is going on here.

How prevalent is fentanyl abuse? How many arrests have happened in Yuma County connected to the drug? Where does it come from? Who is abusing it? The problem is, the answers aren’t that clear. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration notes, “fentanyl can be injected, snorted/sniffed, smoked, taken orally by pill or tablet, and spiked onto blotter paper.”

In the case of an overdose, Good Samaritan laws in Arizona provide protection for a person seeking medical assistance as well as the person who overdosed.

And because fentanyl can take a variety of shapes and forms, or be added into another drug such as cocaine, officers can’t immediately tell on the scene if the drug at hand includes fentanyl.

That’s also adding challenges for people looking for a high as well. Because fentanyl can be added to other drugs, drug abusers don’t necessarily know that they are taking it — what appears to be heroin, for example, could be something much stronger. One thing is clear: the situation is complicated, and there are no easy answers or statistics.

However, information is power. The more we understand a situation, the more we can help fight back against it.

Starting today, the Yuma Sun is focusing on fentanyl in a three-part series intended to shed some light on the challenges presented by the drug and the dangers it poses.

The first story, on Page A1 today, looks at law enforcement and what officers have seen in connection to fentanyl.

The second story, which will appear Monday, takes a look at fentanyl in schools, while the final story Tuesday examines the health impact of the drug.

To learn more, I encourage you to visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse, www.drugabuse.gov.

And to seek help for you or a loved one struggling with drug abuse, contact 1-800-662-HELP (4357).