Dallas County launches website to combat fentanyl abuse

Officials with Dallas County Health and Human Services have launched a new website aimed at curbing the use of what it calls the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the county: fentanyl.

At https://fightfenatnyldc.com, which was unveiled Dec. 5, visitors can find information in English and Spanish on the dangers of the synthetic opioid, how to determine if someone may be overdosing and how to prevent that.

“To save lives, we must raise awareness about the lethal effects of fentanyl while promoting strategies to reduce harm and mitigate risk,” DCHHS Director Philip Huang said in a news release.

What you need to know

Huang said five Texans die each day due to fentanyl overdoses. In 2021, more than 150 Dallas County residents died due to overdoses from the drug, per DCHHS data.

To help prevent overdoses, the new website recommends purchasing naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug that can be purchased at most pharmacies in Texas, and learning how to use the nasal spray.

“We hope this website and the toolkit resources are helpful tools to provide education and critical resources on how to prevent and stop fentanyl overdoses in our community,” Huang said.