KIARAH SMITH
Over 48,000 fentanyl-related deaths occurred in the U.S. in 2024, accounting for about 60% of overdose fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For some students, the epidemic strikes close to home.
TR student Landis Hinesly said her sister’s significant other overdosed on fentanyl two years ago.
“He didn’t get to see the birth of his second son,” she said. “That’s what kind of opened my eyes up to the epidemic that’s happening.”
Hinesly is one of the students at TR Campus who learned how to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses during a presentation held Oct. 23. The presentation was led by Hailey Bocanegra, the program director of Challenge of Tarrant County’s Stand Out-Act Responsibly.
Challenge of Tarrant County is a local non-profit organization founded in 1984, comprised of multiple coalitions with the goal of advocating for awareness and prevention of drug abuse. Bocanegra has led multiple fentanyl awareness events for TCC as part of a broader effort to raise awareness about fentanyl and its fatal consequences.
Drug dealers, often referred to as plugs, are now using multiple digital platforms to promote their substances and set up transactions, often using Emojis as code, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Dealers having such easy and discreet access can make getting drugs easier than ever, especially for younger people.
Many different Emojis are used to represent pills. A candy Emoji is used for ecstasy or molly, which is frequently found in the rave scene, due to the fact that many ecstasy pills are brightly colored like candy. They are commonly found pressed into various shapes resembling pop culture references or brand logos, such as the character Heisenberg from “Breaking Bad” or the Tesla logo.
Fentanyl has been found laced in street drugs, as well as in many other drugs that society traditionally views as less harmful.
Any pill not distributed to an individual by a medical professional has a significant chance of being counterfeit. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have even contributed to the deaths of many celebrities including Prince, Mac Miller and Lil Peep.
Some fake pills have been found containing over 5 milligrams of fentanyl. Anything over 2 milligrams can be lethal.
“It’s about 13 cents to produce these pills,” Bocanegra said.
Fentanyl was developed in 1959 for medical use such as surgery and severe chronic pain. Like heroin, it is an opioid. However, it is about 50 times more potent. It is also one of the easiest and cheapest opioids to manufacture, due to it being made synthetically in a lab.
According to the DEA, illicit fentanyl labs in China and India export large quantities of the substance to Mexico and Canada, where it is then smuggled into the U.S. From there, drug dealers purchase the pure white powder primarily to mix with other street drugs and increase potency in the most cost-effective way.
Fentanyl is commonly found in fake Xanax and even fake Adderall. Neither are opioids, and they are known to be misused by a number of college students.
A 2016 study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research found that one in five college students report use an illicit drug other than marijuana in the prior 12 months.
Xanax is usually used to treat anxiety, while Adderall is for attention disorders. These are two conditions many college students struggle with, and when paired with the cost of healthcare in the U.S., some end up purchasing pills from drug dealers.
“Just be careful on what you’re doing and what you’re taking because you never know it could potentially end your life, or it could end your friend’s life,” Bocanegra said.
During the TR presentation, Bocanegra educated attendees on the signs of an overdose, which include slow or absent breathing, discolored lips or fingertips, unresponsiveness and a limp body. She also presented several facts about naloxone and explained how to properly administer the life-saving medication.
Naloxone, commonly known by its brand name, Narcan, is used to reverse an opioid overdose in progress. It can be easily bought on Amazon for as little as $30, usually coming in the form of nasal sprays. It works by attaching to and blocking opioid receptors in the brain.
Texas Senate Bill 1462, passed in 2015, provides legal protection for people who choose to administer naloxone during an emergency.
“Our campus police do carry Narcan, and we have it in our office, so don’t hesitate,” said Angela Hall, coordinator of health services at TR. “You might be the one saving that life.”