Stanislaus County continues fentanyl awareness with empty chair display at mall
Stanislaus County agencies and volunteers will keep pressing for public awareness even though preliminary data showed a drop in fentanyl deaths last year.
The county's Opioid Safety Coalition will have an empty chair display at Vintage Faire Mall in Modesto through Tuesday, National Fentanyl Awareness Day. Each of the 173 chairs represents someone who died from taking the illegal drug or other overdoses in 2024.
County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services leads the coalition composed of county and public health staff, addiction experts, health professionals, hospital workers, educators and residents who have lost family members. Meetings are held at 9 a.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Stanislaus Veterans Center, 3500 Coffee Road, Modesto.
According to Coroner's Office data, illegal fentanyl resulted in 101 overdose or poisoning deaths in the county in 2024. A California Department of Public Health spokesperson said Thursday that the state's official count for 2023 was 127 fentanyl deaths in Stanislaus County, an increase from 116 in 2022.
The potent drug associated with the cautionary warning 'One pill can kill' was responsible for 86% of opioid deaths and 68% of drug-related deaths in the county in 2023.
That same year, drug overdose was the leading cause of death among adults 25 to 54 years old in California. Fatal overdoses were witnessed by a bystander 40% of the time, and knowing how to help might have saved many lives, CDPH said.
'While we do see the national data trending downward, the reality is our communities in California are still heavily impacted by fentanyl overdose,' said Shauna Simon, a research scientist for the substance and addiction prevention branch of CDPH.
Simon said the CDPH recommends that community members talk with friends, family members and neighbors about the signs of overdose, when to call 911 and how to administer Naloxone to stop an overdose. Many organizations are making the life-saving medication available to the public.
The nasal spray designed to reverse opioid overdoses can be purchased over the counter at pharmacies, which are stocking it more than previously.
Naloxone, often sold as Narcan, is designed to reverse overdoses until the person can receive medical attention.
The state's CalRX program makes Naloxone available for purchase online for $24 for a twin-pack, which is significantly less than the usual price for consumers. The state program began direct sales to consumers to expand access to the medication.
The CDPH's Facts Fight Fentanyl website presents the signs for recognizing an opioid overdose, including small, constricted pupils, loss of consciousness, slow or weak breathing, clammy skin, gurgling sounds and a limp body. The site has an instructional video on how to administer Naloxone nasal spray, along with other life-saving steps.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid sold illegally in pill form or mixed with other drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine. The county Coroner's office recorded 550 deaths related to fentanyl from 2018 through the end of 2024.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Local pharmacist saves two lives in one day
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A Kroger pharmacist is being recognized for her heroic acts last week. Kroger is commending one of its pharmacists for saving not one, but two lives during her work shift last week. According to Kroger, Pharmacist Megan Alt was attending to the drive-thru when a customer at the window began experiencing convulsions. Alt grabbed an epi pen, ran out the fire exit and administered the medication before calling 911. During that same shift, a security guard alerted Alt to an individual passed out in the store's restroom. Alt was able to administer Narcan and once again dialed 911 to save the person's life. 'We're so proud of Megan for taking extraordinary measures to care for her patients when they needed it most,' said Kroger. Alt is originally from Perrysburg and earned a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical science in 2018 from Cedarville University. She then earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Cedarville in 2021. The university is also praising Alt for her quick response to those in need. 'The Cedarville University School of Pharmacy, along with Megan's colleagues at Kroger, congratulate Megan on serving others well,' said Cedarville University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Maine lawmakers throw support behind syringe exchange and disposal programs
A sharps disposal box sits beside Needlepoint Sancutary's set up at Camp Hope, an unhoused encampment in Bangor. The syringe service program hands out provisions and clean syringes along with kits containing fentanyl testing strips and the overdose reversal drug Naloxone. (Photo by Eesha Pendharkar/Maine Morning Star) Lawmakers in both chambers of the Maine Legislature advanced legislation Thursday expanding access to needle exchange programs and funding proper disposal of syringe litter. Syringe service programs are nonprofits or municipalities certified by the state to hand out clean syringes in exchange for used ones as a method of harm reduction for those impacted with substance use disorder. The two bills — LD 1078 and LD 1738 — would allow the programs to expand their locations within the county they are certified to operate in and create a biohazard waste disposal program within the Maine Department of Health and Human Services that would offer grants to community organizations that incentivize proper disposal of used syringes. Both passed the House of Representatives after some debate with critics questioning the need to expand these programs, which are often blamed for creating excessive syringe litter. 'The potential for improperly discarded needles in parks, on sidewalks or in public bathrooms is not hypothetical. It is a reality in cities that have expanded similar programs without adequate controls,' said Rep. Kathy Javner (R-Chester). Proponents of the bills pointed to support among medical providers and harm reduction experts, who have vouched for the programs' effectiveness in preventing disease transmission. They also said the proposed grant program would incentivize safe needle disposal and allow communities to come up with their own solutions to syringe litter disposal, with partial funding from the state. 'We know that when people have access to safe disposal, we all benefit with the right tools, we can reduce the risk of disease transmission, protect public spaces and build trust across divides,' said Rep. Julie McCabe (D-Lewiston). 'We do not need to choose between the health of our communities and the health of individuals. We can have both.' Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor) pointed to Portland's needle buyback program, which the city estimates has helped reduce syringe litter by 76% and resulted in a 58% increase in used syringe return. Participants can earn 10 cents per used needle they turn in, with a weekly cap of 200 syringes per person. The Senate also passed both bills without discussion. The grant program would cost the state roughly $120,000 for the first two years for a new position to oversee the program, in addition to an annual allocation of $500 to establish the fund. The syringe service expansion is estimated to cost roughly $426,000 a year, which would go to the Department of Health and Human Services. Though both bills won the support of the Legislature, funding may still prove to be an obstacle as the budget committee is wrestling with how to address a significant deficit. Earlier this session, lawmakers on the health committee rejected a bill that would have severely limited the number of clean syringes that certified programs can hand out, backing the state's current, more flexible policy. In 2022, Maine adopted new rules that allow participants to bring in just one used syringe to receive 100 clean ones. The state health department also allows participants to receive up to 100 syringes, even if they don't bring any used ones in, at the discretion of the provider. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Heroic local pharmacist saves 2 lives in one shift
A pharmacist at a Dayton Kroger Pharmacy saved two people in separate medical events while at work. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Megan Alt works as a pharmacist at a Kroger in the Dayton area. Alt witnessed a customer in the drive-thru having a convulsion. She grabbed an EpiPen, ran out the fire exit, and administered the treatment before calling 911. TRENDING STORIES: Deputies: Wood thrown at officers in high-speed chase; ends in wrong-way crash on I-75 Supreme Court allows DOGE team to access Social Security systems with data on millions of Americans Apple to pay $95 million in Siri eavesdropping settlement; Here's how to file your claim Later that day, Alt was told that someone had passed out in the restroom. Alt administered Narcan to the individual and called 911. Alt is a graduate from Cedarville University School of Pharmacy, and grew up in Perrysburg. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
