NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – In Davidson County, fentanyl remains a top concern as the main contributor of overdose deaths.
The Metro Public Health Department of Nashville reported from Jan. 1 - Sept. 28, there were 391 deadly overdoses with fentanyl being detected in 72% of them.
According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid about 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The agency said while it is often prescribed to treat patients with severe pain, it’s also made and used illegally which is when it can take a deadly turn.
“One time can be enough to be fatal,” said Chap Cuthbert, regional overdose prevention specialist with STARS Nashville. “Drug overdose can happen very quickly. They'll start experiencing some symptoms of nodding out. Their speech might get kind of slurred, but eventually what happens is their breathing gets affected, so fentanyl, what that will do is reduce the respiration to the point where they stop breathing.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed drug overdoses involving fentanyl increased by 275% in Tennessee from 2018 to 2022. The Volunteer State’s 3,825 overdose deaths in 2022 lie in the top 10 states in the country for most fatalities.
“Fentanyl is showing up in so many of the drugs,” Cuthbert said. “Our polysubstance overdoses have only been increasing over the last few years, so that just means that fentanyl and drugs like xylazine could be laced into drugs that you not knowingly take.”
Cuthbert explains that fentanyl is a silent killer, but said there are some things you can look out for to help save lives.
“If somebody is unresponsive, if it's a lighter skin person, their skin might be a kind of blue tint,” Cuthbert said. “If it's darker skin, it'll be kind of gray or ashen. That's when we really worry about the effects of fentanyl and the overdose, and that's when Narcan is needed.”
Other signs of opioid overdose from the CDC:
- Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
- Falling asleep or losing consciousness
- Slow, weak, or no breathing
- Choking or gurgling sounds
- Limp body
- Cold, clammy skin
That’s why Cuthbert recommends always having a naloxone nasal spray on hand. The life-saving treatment can reverse an opioid overdose.
Back in March, the Davidson County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) opened ‘Narcan Vending Machines’ where community members can get the medication for free and remain anonymous. The machine dispenses a two-pack box of Kloxxado which contains 8 mg of naloxone per spray compared to Narcan’s 4 mg of naloxone per spray.
In a study by the CDC, no benefits to the administration of 8 mg (Kloxxado) intranasal naloxone compared with 4 mg (Narcan) product were found. Researchers also said no differences were observed in survival, the number of doses received, the prevalence of most postnaloxone signs and symptoms, combativeness or hospital transport refusal. The CDC shared that more data are needed to determine whether higher-dose intranasal naloxone would provide added benefits.
DCSO told News 2 its vending machines have distributed 1,800 kits in nearly nine months.
The two DCSO facilities with naloxone vending machines:
- Downtown Detention Center (200 James Robertson Pkwy)
- Sheriff’s Support Center (5117 Harding Pl)
To learn more about DCSO’s Narcan Vending Services, click here.
For additional information about STARS Nashville, visit their website.
If you need help in a crisis situation, dial 988. For an emergency, dial 911.