‘One pill can kill’ | New billboard campaign aims to prevent Harris County residents from fentanyl overdoses

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Regulation enforcement is teaming with Clear Channel Communications on a billboard marketing campaign spotlighting the deadly risks of fentanyl.

Eight billboards throughout the Larger Houston space function the cellphone variety of a substance abuse hotline and the messaging that ‘one capsule can kill.’ The marketing campaign is focusing on individuals who might use unlawful medication that could possibly be laced with unknown deadly doses of the highly-addictive opioid.

Harris County legislation enforcement and prosecutors affirm fentanyl, a ache killer, is now the main reason for drug overdoses in Harris County. 

The Harris County District Legal professional’s Workplace calculates greater than 460 residents died after overdosing on the drug final 12 months.

“That is actuality. One capsule can kill,” stated Jason Taylor a regional director for the Texas Division of Public Security.

If legislation enforcement can’t persuade addicts to hunt assist, possibly 22-year previous Chelsea Chanslor can.

The Montgomery County girl stated she first started utilizing Fentanyl on the age of 13. When she was 15 years previous she says she was hooked on fentanyl and heroin. She stated she used the unlawful medication to deal with anxiousness and different psychological well being points.

Photographs present the bodily impact medication have had on Chanslor. She’s been arrested and charged with felonies. She’s even been revived by Narcan, a therapy for overdoses, a number of occasions. 

And in July 2021, after getting excessive, Chanslor crashed her automobile and shattered a number of bones. She practically died.

“I feel numerous dad and mom take it like a blow to their ego. I raised you higher than this,” stated Chanslor whereas addressing legislation enforcement and the media on the podium throughout a press occasion. “I’ve taught you higher than this. That’s not the case. It’s a illness. It’s a psychological dysfunction that we endure from. All it takes is one hit, one experiment to activate that.”

And consciousness to get dad and mom, like Chanslor’s, the instruments they want.

“I carry Narcan in my purse. I carry it in every single place I am going,” stated Chanslor’s mom Colleen Fitzpatrick. 

Narcan, or Naloxone, was first permitted by the FDA within the early Seventies as a therapy to forestall opioid overdoses.

“You don’t shake it. You don’t take the cap off. All you do is put it up anyone’s nostril,” stated Dr. Pleasure Alonzo. “That’s how straightforward it’s.”

It might be straightforward, however a long time later and the life-saving therapy continues to be costly. 

Dr. Alonzo says a bottle of Narcan prices $125. She leads Texas A&M’s Opioid Activity Power, which confirms a overwhelming majority of first responders in Texas nonetheless don’t have Narcan as a part of their arsenal.

Whereas Texas lawmakers permitted to spice up the prison penalties for these charged with manufacturing or distributing fentanyl, and whereas Texas Governor Greg Abbott has re-positioned DPS Troopers alongside the Texas/Mexico border to grab fentanyl because it’s smuggled in from Mexico, the state nonetheless has not agreed to fund Narcan for first responders or psychological well being amenities.

“What we wish, is for each individual within the State of Texas to have a naloxone rescue package and to know the best way to use it,” stated Alonzo.

The pharmacist can be calling for Texas to start monitoring opioid overdoses and deaths, which it at present doesn’t. 

Main cities like Houston do. However proper now, there’s no precise information to substantiate simply what number of Texans are overdosing and dying from fentanyl. 

Practically eight months into her restoration, Chanslor is sharing her story publicly in hopes of saving not less than one life. 

“Higher secure than sorry,” she stated.