Great Bend Post
The State of Kansas saw the nation’s second highest increase in drug deaths last year. Nationally, more than 150 people die each day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids. One of the contributing factors to the jump is the dangerous drug of fentanyl.
Nurse Practitioner Scot Yarnell from The Center for
Counseling & Consultation in Great Bend said the presence of fentanyl is
often unanticipated by drug users.
"Users might think they're using methamphetamine only, in reality they're using fentanyl," said Yarnell. "Drug dealers are putting it in there because they know it's harder for them to get off of. They have them longer as an income source."
The Center now has the ability to detect fentanyl through a simple urine test.
If detected in the test, Yarnell and other staff can help patients by offering
them medically assisted treatment.
"The goal is to get patients better without having to be so intrusive into their life and allow more patients to be seen and treated for their addictions," said Yarnell."
Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than
morphine. It takes only two milligrams of fentanyl to kill.