CHICAGO (WLS) — Younger individuals are one of the at-risk populations for drug overdoses. Authorities say felony cartels are focusing on teenagers by mass producing faux tablets laced with fentanyl.

Small quantities of fentanyl could be lethal, and many individuals are unaware it is on the street medicine they’re utilizing. A marketing campaign to finish overdoses by distributing fentanyl testing strips is focusing on universities and different locations with giant populations of younger folks. The aim is to save lots of lives.

“He was sober for a yr, and issues had been going properly. And at that cut-off date, he obtained a deadly dose of fentanyl,” stated Mark Raber.

READ MORE: Illinois overdoses are sky excessive, getting worse, federal public well being investigators say

His son Dennis was 29 when he died in 2018. He stated Dennis took what he thought was cocaine.

“There was about 100%, fentanyl. So, we had been shocked,” stated Raber.

Brokers on the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warn cartels are additionally hiding fentanyl in different medicine equivalent to heroin, methamphetamine and faux prescription tablets, together with rainbow coloured ones.

“Whenever you add fentanyl to that, you realize, it is Russian roulette. It is turning into extra frequent that anyone is aware of anyone that has overdosed or misplaced their life because of these deaths of despair,” stated Jim O’Connor, Government Director of the Pathway to Sobriety Program at The Heart in Palos Park.

“There appears to be extra opioid dependency and overdoses. And distressingly, it is youthful and youthful folks,” Dr. Stephen Spontak, Emergency Doctor at Northwestern Medication Palos Hospital stated.

An I-Staff information evaluation of federal public well being statistics reveals fentanyl-related overdoses are the primary explanation for demise for Individuals ages 18-45. That is what Finish Overdose is making an attempt to cease.

“I feel we will all agree that individuals dying from one thing preventable is fairly pointless,” stated Theo Krzywicki, Founder and CEO of Finish Overdose.

The group’s acknowledged mission is to finish drug-related overdose deaths by schooling, medical intervention, and public consciousness. They supply coaching on administer Narcan to reverse an opioid overdose, and use fentanyl testing strips to forestall taking laced medicine.

They’ve distributed tens of hundreds of take a look at strips and Narcan kits all through the nation, many going to college campuses.

“It is so necessary that hurt discount is there, and is there to ensure individuals are secure,” stated Jackie Pawlowski, Illinois Department Supervisor at Finish Overdose. “We wish folks to be snug in what they’re doing, and all the time have the assets accessible to them if one thing goes incorrect.”

Pawlowski misplaced a pal to an overdose. She has educated dozens of people that work at live performance venues in Chicago, and is making an attempt to make assessments and Narcan simply accessible on school campuses right here.

“I feel it is improbable. , clearly, you’ll be able to’t stop all drug use, even with all of the packages and issues. So, security is basically necessary,” stated DePaul College scholar Jack Baust.

“I feel that is a reasonably necessary step in direction of the longer term,” stated Christian Howard, DePaul College scholar. “It is one factor to be hooked on medicine, it is one other factor to lose your life. You need folks to have an opportunity to get higher as a substitute of dying.”

First responders informed the I-Staff three out of 5 overdose deaths may have been prevented if there was somebody current who knew how, and when, to intervene.

Dennis Raber’s household hosts a race yearly to boost consciousness, and assist native restoration packages.

“Should you fake it would not exist, you are actually simply fooling your self,” stated Mark Raber.

Artificial opioids like fentanyl had been detected in additional than two thirds of all lethal drug overdoses within the U.S. final yr, based on U.S. public well being investigators. The DEA stated it has taken 10 million fentanyl tablets off the streets since Could, together with half a ton of fentanyl powder.