Uintah County Sheriff Steve Labrum and TriCounty Health Director Kirk Benge joined forces and visited the Evans Family Media studios this week to sound the alarm on what they have called the fentanyl crisis that has hit the Uintah Basin. Sheriff Labrum says that while drugs have been a consistent problem in the Basin for a long time now, the issue has reached a crisis with a recent spike in overdoses and deaths due to the drug fentanyl. The current batch of pills out on the streets are very potent and they are literally killing more people than before. TriCounty Health Director Kirk Benge shares that the health department monitors causes of deaths and the situation has reached a real crisis level as they have seen more deaths from suspected drug overdoses in the last 6 weeks than they would normally see over 10 months. Sheriff Labrum says that between all the law enforcement agencies, drugs are being taken off the street everyday but it’s not enough. The community members need to get involved and come forward with information to get these deadly drugs off the street. “We’ve got to have community members that get involved. If you know something please tell us,” pleads Sheriff Labrum. “[We] would love to get it all off the street obviously and that takes a lot from the community that is using and the community that is not using. We all need to come together so we don’t have anyone else die.” Sheriff Labrum also warns that we need to watch our youth, our friends, and our family members. Fentanyl pills can be made to look like a prescription drug like Adderall so only use prescription medication from a pharmacy. Warn teens and other vulnerable people in your life that a pill can look like one thing but actually could have fentanyl and prove deadly. Having a Naloxone or Narcan kit to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose could save a life and that goes beyond just illegal opioid use. Something as simple as being prescribed an opioid after surgery and misusing it accidentally could be fatal so there are many situations where having a Naloxone kit can save a life. Benge also says to remember that the Naloxone dose needs to be followed up by a visit to the ER because the adverse effects can still kick in after the initial dose. Remember there are protections in the law for having drugs in the home if you call 9-1-1 for a suspected overdose and you help the emergency responders that come to your door. Their final message to all is to please get help to stop using. Call 2-1-1 to learn about resources from counseling to rehab and get help now. Don’t wait until it’s too late or you’ve lost someone you love. For information on getting a Naloxone kit, contact TriCounty Health Department.
