FHPD Investigator addresses fentanyl presence in Fort Hall
Fort Hall Police Investigator Cody Sweat at Ross Fork District meeting on September 21.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Fort Hall Police Investigator Cody Sweat did a fentanyl presentation in the Ross Fork District September 21 to educate community members.
He said fentanyl is 50 time more potent that heroin. It’s 100 times more potent than morphine. In comparison, there’s 1,000 milligrams in one gram – in 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose.
He showed a map where Fort Hall is on the main arterial for drug trafficking. He noted drug dealers realize state laws can’t be applied on the rez and that’s why there’s been so many seizures of drugs at the casino.
Concerning overdose calls in Fort Hall from 2018 to 2023 that were actually reported to FHPD dispatch there were six in 2018, 7 in 2019, 13 in 2020, 57 in 2021 and so far in 2023, there’s been 26 with an average of three per month.
Symptoms of exposure to fentanyl include: Disorientation, coughing, difficulty breathing, sedation, along with rapid and profound cardiac arrest.
Fentanyl, heroin and oxycodone are all opioids. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever. It’s more powerful than opioids and is approved for treating severe pain including advanced cancer pain. Illegally made and distributed fentanyl is on the rise. Heroin is an illegal opioid.
According to a Waapi Kani (Cedar House) presentation, synthetic opioid manufactured by cartel are in powdered or pill form. Counterfeit pills are made to look similar to pharmaceutical oxycodone. In a recent DEA alert six out of ten counterfeit pills contain two milligrams or more of fentanyl. Fentanyl is also found mixed with other drugs such as heroin, meth and cocaine.
Close up view of a fentanyl pill example.
In Idaho, fentanyl is most commonly seen in blue pills. People who sell or purchase drugs may call the pills “M-30s,” “blues,” “dirty 30’s” or “Mexies.” The fake pills are usually blue in color and stamped to appear like real oxycodone pills one would get from a pharmacist.
An emerging threat is Xylazine an FDA approved common veterinary tranquilizer. It does not respond to naloxone. Fentanyl cut with xylazine may be called “tranq.”
Waapi Kani reports findings from a 2022 Threat Assessment of drug trafficking and related activities in Oregon and Idaho methamphetamine remains the top threat for Idaho because it’s readily available, cheap but high priority. Heroin is the second top threat for Idaho as there’s been increased production in Mexico since 2010 and there’s high potential for overdose.
Opioid addiction is a brain disease – people often start to misuse prescription opioids by taking them more often in large amounts. When someone’s opioid misuse causes them to have health issues or problems at work, school or home, they have an opioid use disorder. It’s a common medical condition that people can recover from. Waapi Kani created a Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in 2018-2019 with the Tribal Opioid Response grant. Contact staff at 208-236-1007 or 208-478-4026 for assistance.
When someone has overdosed on opioids naloxone (Narcan) can be used to reverse an opioid overdose. According to the National Institutes on Health naloxone is an opioid antagonist as it attaches to opioid receptors and reverses/blocks the effects of other opioids. It can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose. It does not have an effect on someone who doesn’t have opioids in their system. It’s not a treatment for opioid use disorder.
Naloxone can be given as a nasal spray or it can be injected into the muscle, under the skin, or into the veins. It’s important to receive training on how and when to use it. Call the FHPD for EMS 208-238-4000 for medical emergency.
