Lincoln Co. officials sound alarm on dangers of fentanyl

Lincoln County officials sounded the alarm on the deadly drug fentanyl at a town meeting last week.

The Dome Theater was full of county residents who heard the sobering story of the synthetic drug that has caused death in the county and threatens residents of all ages, particularly younger people.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a pain reliever and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic.

According to information from Lincoln County Unite for Youth, fentanyl poisoning is the No. 1 cause of death in people ages 18 to 35 in the county. There have been two confirmed fentanyl poisoning deaths in the county since November 2022.

Unite for Youth recommended watching a 20-minute documentary, titled “Dead on Arrival.” It can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJgPmrLjkuo.

Possibly the biggest danger of fentanyl is that it is being mixed with oxycodone and Adderall. Casual users, partygoers, experimenters, regular users and even unsuspecting bystanders who may come into contact with fentanyl are all at risk.

Fake prescription pills are easily accessible and often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms, which makes them available to anyone with a smartphone, including minors.

Unite for Youth said in Lincoln County, officials have seized 39 pounds of methamphetamine, 40,000 fentanyl pills and 28 grams of fentanyl powder.

Lincoln County detectives and the Northwest Drug Task Force report weekly encounters with fentanyl. It has been found cut into marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and fake pills.

One county teenager overdosed from an unidentified opioid and was revived with the use of Narcan, a medicine that can quickly reverse an overdose.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the nasal spray form of Narcan for over-the-counter, non-prescription use.

Brandon Holzer, a detective with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, explained how fentanyl can be so dangerous to so many people.

“Mexican cartels and street dealers call them Skittles or Mexican Blues,” Holzer said. “They are being made to look like common prescription medications.”

Holzer shared the tragic story of a woman from Troy who died from fentanyl poisoning on Feb. 17.

“Her mother found her dead in bed,” Holzer said. “She wasn’t selling drugs, but she was using. She had a Narcan package with her, but she couldn’t get it open in time.”

He said it will take the community to stop the epidemic.

“It takes everyone here to stop this,” Holzer said. “We need to educate our kids of the dangers of these and all drugs.”

Holzer also shared information about xylazine, a drug that is also being cut into fentanyl.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that is used as a sedative and pain reliever. It is not safe for use in humans and may result in serious and life-threatening side effects that appear to be similar to those commonly associated with opioid use, making it difficult to distinguish opioid overdoses from xylazine exposure.

The FDA says it doesn’t know if side effects from xylazine exposure can be reversed by naloxone (Narcan).

Holzer said a 2022 DEA report showed 23% of powdered fentanyl and 7% of fentanyl pills had xylazine in them.

Lincoln County Attorney Marcia Boris said the rise of fentanyl and other drug-related arrests are easily seen in her office.

“I’ve been a prosecutor for 15 years and we are in an epidemic here,” Boris said.

Two years ago, of the 125 felony cases in Lincoln County, 30 were drug arrests. Last year, the percentage increased as 33 cases of 112 felonies were drug arrests.

“So far in 2023, we’ve filed 30 cases and 17 are drug cases, 57% of the total,” Boris said. “And upwards of 90% of the cases are related to drugs, such as domestic violence, violent crime, theft and burglaries.”

Boris also spoke of the community’s frustrations with sentences for drug-related offenses.

“Montana law gives a first-time offender charged with dangerous drug possession the chance of a deferred sentence,” she said.

A deferred sentence allows an offender who remains law-abiding to have it cleared from their record.

Holzer explained that China is the main source of chemical components to make fentanyl while Mexico is making the bulk of it.

“It’s being made in the U.S., too, but Mexican drug cartels want to bring it everywhere in our country,” Holzer said. “It’s harder for people to make mass quantities here because if someone buys a pill press on Amazon along with other components, it’s easier to track.”

The financial side of the equation is obvious for those who manufacture and distribute fentanyl.

“It’s made in Mexico for $1 per pill and distributors buy it for $4 to $8 per pill. They sell it to dealers for $8 to $10 a pill and dealers can typically get $25 per pill here,” Holzer said. “Montana is targeted because the profits are higher her than further south.”