Today is National Fentanyl Awareness Day. In 2021, West Burlington Officers responded to the location of the Americinn in the city of West Burlington regarding a drug investigation. Upon speaking with a female staying at the Americinn, officers located 23 grams of Fentanyl on her person along with other illegal narcotics. The female was charged and ultimately convicted of numerous illegal narcotic crimes along with sales of narcotics. 2 milligrams of Fentanyl is a lethal amount. The amount seized during this investigation was 23,000 milligrams.
Last year over 70,000 Americans fatally overdosed on illegally made fentanyl. Fentanyl is found in fake pills and Main Street drugs. The dangers of this drug is a potent opioid and can be fatal when ingested. Officers face the dangers of this drug by a simple exposure while investigating narcotics on duty.
This is an urgent public health crisis that puts all of us, and our loved ones, at risk. Let’s all play a role in preventing further tragedies.