Paola's Parenting Playbook presents Fentanyl, A Guide for Parents, preview

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(WBRE/WYOU) — According to the CDC, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are the primary driver of overdose deaths in the U.S.
28/22 News is taking a deep dive into this epidemic as it remains a threat facing families right here in northeastern Pennsylvania. The special program airs Friday night.
Since the opioid epidemic was declared a public health emergency in 2017, it has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Initially driven by prescription opioids and heroin, the epidemic has shifted in recent years to illicit fentanyl. A substance 100 times more potent than morphine.
28/22 News is helping to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl with a special in-depth program.
Paola's Parenting Playbook presents Fentanyl, A Guide for Parents, and it airs Friday night on 28/22 news.
Struggling with substance use disorder can derail someone's future. Madison Hayes and Amanda O'Day know that all too well. In a special Paola's Parenting Playbook, Fentanyl, A Guide for Parents, the women open up about their drug addiction. How it started, the darkest moments, and what recovery looks like today.
'I was rapidly deteriorating, everything was going downhill. I didn't notice until I tried to take my own life,' said Hayes.
Amanda's story echoes similar pain.
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'I would never stick it out. I would always end up relapsing, I would find anything available, and that's what led to heroin, the pills got less and less,' said O'Day.
Madison and Amanda credit their recovery to a combination of personal resilience, support from family, and access to a unique program at Luzerne County Community College. Both women are now in long-term recovery.
'He was thriving, he was out one night with friends using substances he should not have,' said Maria Pascale, Clarks Summit.
You'll also meet a couple from Clarks Summit who lost their son to fentanyl poisoning. The couple has made it their mission to prevent other families from suffering the same tragedy.
'We think he was using cocaine that was laced with fentanyl, and late that night, he went to sleep and never woke up. His roommate found him that morning,' explained Pascale.
Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters sees the impact of the fentanyl crisis up close. In a sit-down interview, he addresses the growing threat.
'Our society is being poisoned from the inside with fentanyl,' said Peters.
'Joe, you have been a drug czar, a police chief, a prosecutor, you have served in two presidential administrations. How is fentanyl getting into these street drugs?' asked 28/22 News reporter Paola Giangiacomo.
'It is being flooded into our border, now it is in everything. No one is immune, no one is safe. The most important thing a parent can do is be a parent,' said Peters.
Ryan Hogan, a drug and alcohol administrator, says fentanyl remains a growing danger across Pennsylvania. His message is clear: education, access to care, and community support are the strongest tools in the fight against fentanyl.
'I would encourage any parent out there, educate as soon as possible,' said Hogan.
The program also sheds light on reducing overdose deaths and expanding access to life-saving resources. Plus tips for parents on how to talk to their kids about the dangers of drug abuse.
Paola's Parenting Playbook, Fentanyl, A Guide for Parents, airs Friday night.
We hope you'll tune in to WBRE Friday at 8:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. on WYOU.
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