William Matteson is executive director of Cope Foundation19.

On behalf of the Cope Foundation19, I would like to bring awareness to the facts and result of the current opioid and fentanyl epidemic. Learning about the deadly affects can and hopefully will increase awareness and fear into this drug.

My son Justin “Jay” Matteson died from this drug along with so many other children. Justin left three children behind. A father. Two brothers. Several family and friends. As the Executive Director of the Cope Foundation19, I set aside my personal experience and focus on the facts not only in our community but throughout our country.

People at highest risk of fatal overdose involving illicitly manufactured fentanyl’s and synthetic opioids are those who use illicit drugs such as heroin, counterfeit prescription opioids or benzodiazepines. In rare cases, other drugs may be unknowingly cross contaminated with illicitly manufactured fentanyl or synthetic opioids. The higher potency means their effects are stronger at lower doses than the heroin or counterfeit pills they may be mixed in. When people stop using heroin then return to heroin use, their tolerance is inevitably lowered. They are more susceptible to overdose.

For people already using heroin, their tolerance to stronger synthetic opioids like fentanyl may be lower. Their risk of accidental overdose is higher if they unknowingly take fentanyl-laced heroin, whether through the same method or their first time trying a new method (i.e. snorting, smoking, or injecting). In many cases the drug addict does not know what is in the drug. The dealer will add fentanyl to increase the high to have a repeat customer. In my opinion, they are poor salesman. Killing off your customer.

This is way more common that we believe. Open your eyes people! The problem is so real. Read the paper. Watch the news. Listen to the chatter in your community. Children and adults are dying every day.

Back in the early ’80s when I graduated high school, it was rare hearing that a friend or person in the community had died. We would hear that they had a car accident, fire, health issue or act of normal cause. NEVER a drug. Today, 40 years later our first response to hearing of a death is opioids. So sad.

The U.S. government does not track death rates for every drug. However, The National Center of Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control collects information on deaths involving many of the more commonly used drugs available through 2019 at the CDC. The No. 1 research is focusing on done other than, “Fentanyl.” More than 70,000 deaths have occurred in the U.S. alone in the year 2019. This is for all ages. Children, teens, young adults, and Middle Ages and up. This means it can your child, sibling, parent or even grandparent. As a child, I remember seeing Dad drink an occasional beer or wine. Never drunk. Never addicted. Children today are witnessing much abuse in mental directions due to the epidemics. What changed?

How did this drug sneak up on us? We all have opinions to the answer for this concern. Some say it is because the government has opened doors to legally accepting certain drugs which create a prescribed user to be dependent on a drug. Is it too powerful or potent? Then the prescriber gets addicted and craves more. Possibly? Could it be from the lack of parental supervision in today’s world.

With the economy being so rough and both parental figures having to work, this may be a cause?

Parents not focusing on the children as much as necessary is my opinion. Bringing positive awareness and education to the children is where we need to begin. Not necessarily from a governmental standpoint. The government should not dictate how we raise our children of awareness. That is a parent’s responsibility. Be honest and open. Children depend on us to guide them. Once a parent or guardian slacks, a child will search for another resource. Not usually a positive one.

What is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a strong medicine made from opioids (chemicals used to treat sudden and ongoing pain). It’s up to 100 times stronger than other opioids like morphine, heroin, or oxycodone. Fentanyl’s common name is 3-ethylfentanyl, (3-methyl-1-phenethyl- 4-piperidyl) propionanilide.

Just a thought? If you can’t pronounce the name of something, such as propionanilide, wouldn’t it be wise to research the meaning of the word. And know exactly what you are putting into your blood stream? There are a lot of risks with fentanyl, and one of the biggest is the fact that when people attempt to purchase it for illicit use, there is a lot of uncertainty.

For example, illegally manufactured fentanyl is a tremendous problem. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there was a 426% increase in fentanyl products seized from 2013 to 2014.

Other reports show that the number of deaths involving synthetic opioids including fentanyl rose 79% during that same time period. With these results from more than 8 years ago, we can only imagine the number of deaths has risen considerably. Fentanyl works in the brain to block pain and is in the same class of drugs as morphine or hydrocodone but is about 50 to 100 times more potent. Depending on the strength. Just 2 to 3 milligrams of this drug can lead to death. (This is equivalent to 2 grains of salt.) It blocks opioid receptors and its most dangerous side effect, like other opioids, is respiratory depression, which can quickly lead to coma and death. This drug is recently being added to marijuana. Now that most States are legalizing marijuana, it is much easier to obtain and lace with just about anything. But most commonly, fentanyl. The risk and fear of death is now increased dramatically. No one can approximate’ the rate increase of fatalities because this is a daily epidemic which grows by the minute.

What is Narcan and how it’s used? Narcan is used for emergency treatment of opioid overdose. It’s an opioid antagonist, which means it works by blocking certain receptors in your body that opioids bind to. By blocking these receptors, Narcan helps to reverse symptoms of opioid overdose. This is not a sure thing!! Yes, most opioid abusers do survive after being revived by Narcan. BUT AGAIN, now the drug addict has survived another challenge of death, they begin to feel invincible. So, they continue to use their drug of choice and even go further and use more powerful drugs. Or a larger number of drugs.

Where is Narcan injected into the body? Naloxone is injected into a muscle in the outer thigh. In an emergency, you may give an injection through the person’s clothing. After injecting naloxone, stay with the person and watch for continued signs of overdose.

After being dead and then revived, you would think a person would “see the light” and make serious changes in their life. Some call it a “God moment”. The power of this fentanyl drug, remember, is 100 times more powerful than other opioids. The drug controls the addict. As silly as that sounds to most, it does control you. It is called a DRUG for a reason. They are made to work against nerve conductors and make you feel better. Notice the word MAKE? It’s a very forceful medication/drug.

Consequences for trafficking Fentanyl. Traffickers are subject to federal prosecution and enhanced penalties. Fentanyl trafficking offenses, which violate the Federal Controlled Substances Act , carry a financial penalty of between $1 million and $50 million, and an incarceration period of up to life in prison. Repeat offenses can lead to additional financial penalties of between $2 and $75 million, alongside additional concurrent life sentences in prison. However, this penalty is seldom handed down to the criminal. Especially if it is their 1st offense. Lawyers and courts are mandated to follow specific guidelines and laws. They may have their hands tied.

Now I have a question? If a person kills another person, aren’t they a murderer? Shouldn’t they be charged accordingly to the LAWS and policy of the LAW for the result of their action? I believe so. So why is it that when a drug dealer is found guilty of possession and distribution of fentanyl, that they do not get murder charges? As we all know, fentanyl kills people daily. Correct?? Chances are that the drug this dealer distributed has probably killed their customers and others who share this drug. Maybe if the criminal justice system would look at this as a more serious crime and punish more accordingly, we would curb the epidemic? Help is not necessarily at the end of the issue. It should be wisely sought at in the beginning. Let’s save our children and fight for the truth and justice to protect our youth. Build a brighter and better tomorrow.

For more information about the Cope Foundation19, Inc., log onto www.copefoundation19.com or email cope.foundation19@gmail.com.

I wish to thank you all for your time and for allowing me to share my point of view and to start seeing life a bit more clearly.

William Matteson is executive director of Children of Opioid Parents and Empowerment –COPE.