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It is important to educate on the dangers of fentanyl and the importance of harm reduction strategies to prevent overdoses.

Thank you to our partners at the NIH HEALing Communities Study, Orange County, SUNY Orange, Orange County Community College, and the Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) for making this event possible!

Fentanyl Awareness

During this educational session, MATTERS’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joshua Lynch, highlights the risks associated with ingesting fentanyl and xylazine.

Fentanyl is a synthetic (unnatural), potent opioid that is commonly added to the drug supply to strengthen the effects of other drugs. Synthetic fentanyl can be low-cost to manufacture and it is commonly used to decrease the cost of production of other drugs.

Click here to learn more about fentanyl.

Xylazine

Xylazine is an FDA-approved veterinary sedative that is being added to the drug supply across the United States. Xylazine, also known as ‘tranq’ or the ‘zombie drug’, is a non-opioid that is toxic to humans due to its potency. This drug is not safe for human consumption; however, being FDA-approved, it is easy to access xylazine online.

As little as one exposure to xylazine can cause severe skin wounds in humans. These wounds can vary but typically involve blisters, small scabs, larger ulcers, or dead (black/dark) skin tissue.

Click here to learn more about xylazine.