Whereas Colorado lawmakers debate a invoice that might improve prison penalties for possessing the lethal drug, a metropolis of Denver program providing free fentanyl testing strips and the overdose-reversing remedy naxolone to residents is working to meet up with demand.
“We’re overwhelmed (in a great way!) with the variety of individuals requesting free Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips to maintain themselves and their family members secure,” town’s overdose prevention website learn on Thursday. “Because of the improve in requests, shipments are taking longer than common to ship. We admire your endurance.”
That web site hyperlinks to a request form for the provides. The invoice being debated on the statehouse additionally contains funding for extra take a look at strips and anti-overdose remedy.
The Denver Division of Public Well being and Atmosphere is working by means of a backlog of roughly 3,500 orders that began with a surge in demand in February, spokeswoman Courtney Meihls stated this week. Provide shortages contributed to that bottleneck however have since been cleared up and deliveries are outpacing new orders.
“Now that we’re receiving shipments, issues are shifting extra shortly. We anticipate to be by means of the backlog within the subsequent few weeks,” Meihls stated. “After that, residents ought to anticipate to obtain their order inside one to 2 weeks, as long as we proceed to obtain our shipments from our distributor on time.”
This system launched in September. Over its first 4.5 months, Denver residents requested roughly 500 packages. Since mid-February, this system has seen greater than 4,700 orders together with 2,800 in simply 24 hours close to the tip of that month, Meihls stated.
That surge got here across the time 5 associates had been discovered lifeless in a Commerce Metropolis condo from fentanyl overdoses. Regulation enforcement officers say the group thought they had been utilizing cocaine.
For these looking for to acquire naxolone extra shortly, town is directing individuals to a map of pharmacies that can present the remedy, generally seen below the model identify Narcan, and not using a prescription. The map is out there at stoptheclockcolorado.org. The remedy is roofed by most insurances suppliers, Meihls stated. The well being division additionally has an RV, the “Wellness Winnie” that makes weekly journeys by means of under-resourced components of town offering naloxone, behavioral well being companies and different assist without cost.
Not less than 900 individuals died of fentanyl overdoses in Colorado final 12 months. That’s a 67% improve over the 540 fentanyl overdoses confirmed in 2020, state well being division statistics present.
Lisa Raville, govt director of Denver’s Harm Reduction Action Center, known as the state of affairs “the worst overdose disaster we’ve got ever been in.” A reality sheet the group launched final month explains that fentanyl is an artificial opioid 50 occasions extra highly effective than heroin. It’s typically discovered blended in with different substances together with meth and cocaine or pressed into tablet kind to resemble prescription painkillers. Its results are fast-acting and unpredictable.
The motion heart works with between 100 and 150 individuals who use medication every morning, providing clear syringes, pipes and assist sources, in line with its web site. It has been offering naxolone to its shoppers since 2012. Raville calls them the true first responders within the overdose disaster. The middle has been offering testing strips since 2018.
“Having DDPHE ship out Narcan and fentanyl testing strips is vital,” Raville stated of town’s program. “It’s vital that anybody strolling on earth or in Denver carries Narcan and exams their medication earlier than they use.”
