Louisiana, like many other states, has seen an increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in recent years. That is the light way to put it.
Louisiana, like many other states in the United States, has seen an increase in fentanyl-related overdose deaths in recent years. That is the light way to put it. Louisiana has seen a 434% increase in opioid-related deaths in a tracked statistical period from 2014 to 2021. Data was provided by the Louisiana Department of Health.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and it has been responsible for a significant portion of opioid overdose deaths in the state.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, the number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the state increased from 259 in 2014 to 228 in 2018. In 2019, 588 people died in the state from overdoses, with 2020 showing that 982 people died in Louisiana from overdoses. In 2021, the terrifying trend of exponential deaths continued, with 1,384 deaths in Louisiana attributed to opioid overdoses.
The danger of fentanyl is that it is relatively easy to experience an overdose due to the potency of the drug. Fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, which can make it even more dangerous as it increases the risk of overdose. The mixing of these drugs is often done by drug dealers and not knowing the exact composition of the drug can lead to an overdose. Fentanyl is also available in various forms, including pills, powder, and spray, and it can be ingested, inhaled, or injected. All these forms can lead to an overdose if taken improperly.
If someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, it is important to seek medical attention immediately as time is critical. Call 911 right away. Naloxone, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, should be administered as soon as possible.
In response to this issue, the state of Louisiana has implemented several measures to address the opioid epidemic, including increasing access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse an opioid overdose; expanding access to treatment and recovery services; and increasing public awareness and education about the dangers of opioids.
It’s important to note that the opioid problem is a complex issue and it requires a comprehensive approach that includes law enforcement, public health, and community-based interventions to effectively address it. National context on how the crisis has evolved is maintained by the CDC and in NIDA’s overdose statistics.
Fentanyl can be considered the most potent opioid drug that is abused. The potency of the drug and problems caused by mishandling and illegal distribution of the substance have made it extremely dangerous in the realm of commonly abused substances in the USA. Safe use of fentanyl requires precise dosages monitored by a medical professional in a hospital or clinical setting. If you know someone that is abusing fentanyl, time is of the essence to take measures to help them before they overdose unintentionally.
An intervention is a process in which a person’s loved ones, friends, and/or professional interventionists come together to express their concerns about the person’s behavior and to encourage them to seek help for their addiction. Staging an intervention for someone who is abusing fentanyl can be a complex and emotional process, and it’s important to plan it carefully to ensure that it is effective.
A well-planned intervention is built long before anyone sits down to talk. It starts with an honest assessment of what the person is actually using, because in today’s supply, opioids rarely travel alone. It continues with preparing the family: agreeing on a shared, non-negotiable message, deciding in advance what each person will say and what boundaries they will hold, and rehearsing so the conversation stays loving rather than accusatory. And it ends with logistics handled ahead of time, including a treatment placement arranged in advance so that a yes can be acted on the same day, and sober transport ready if the treatment program is far from home.
Families in Louisiana and across the Gulf South do not have to build that plan alone. The interventionists who work with families in all 50 states guide every step, from the first confidential phone call through the transition into treatment and the family’s own recovery work afterward. Numbers like a 434% increase describe the environment; they do not decide any one person’s future. Getting a loved one into care does. Call (850) 563-9776 or reach us through the contact page. If an overdose is happening now, call 911; for emotional crisis, call or text 988.
Call 911 immediately, because time is critical. Administer naloxone as soon as possible if it is available, and stay with the person until help arrives. Fentanyl overdoses may require more than one dose of naloxone.
The state's reported numbers, provided by the Louisiana Department of Health, track the arrival of fentanyl in the drug supply: a 434% increase in opioid-related deaths in the tracked period from 2014 to 2021, with deaths climbing from 588 in 2019 to 982 in 2020 and 1,384 in 2021.
Yes. An intervention brings loved ones and a professional together to express concern and present a clear path into treatment, planned carefully in advance. With fentanyl, acting before an unintentional overdose is the whole point.
One confidential conversation with a professional interventionist. No pressure, no obligation. We'll help you find the right next step for your family.
