Help Spread the Word!
The HEALing Communities Study welcomes organizations and individuals of wave two communities to help spread the word about the dangers of fentanyl and importance of carrying naloxone by sharing the materials below. The campaign will launch October 3, 2022.
Background
Provisional data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics over a 12-month period ending in April 2021 indicate overdose deaths from opioids have increased almost six-fold from the year before. Overdose deaths from synthetic opioids – primarily fentanyl – have also increased.
As a result of this trend, the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) has launched a campaign to increase naloxone and fentanyl education which is being disseminated in participating study communities beginning October 3, 2022. For a list of the HCS participating communities, click here.
Priority Audience Groups
The W2C1: Naloxone-Fentanyl education campaign aims to reach:
-
People who use drugs, which may be contaminated with fentanyl (e.g., counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine), are ages 18+, live in wave one communities, and do not know about or seek fentanyl.
-
People who use drugs, which may be contaminated with fentanyl (e.g., counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine), are ages 18+, live in wave one communities, and know about and/or seek fentanyl.
Single Overarching Communication Objectives (SOCOs)
HCS aims to help campaign priority audience groups achieve the following knowledge or behavioral SOCOs as a result of seeing campaign communications.
-
Understand that many drugs can be contaminated with fentanyl, and that fentanyl is dangerous, even in small doses
-
Understand that using a drug potentially contaminated with fentanyl is especially dangerous when no one else is present, able to respond, rescue with naloxone, and call 911 for help
-
Understand harm reduction approaches to reduce overdose risk
-
Understand that naloxone can reverse overdoses and save lives, and anyone can carry it and use it
-
Understand that naloxone trainings are available in their community which provides free naloxone and training on how to use it
-
Carry and use naloxone immediately if an overdose is suspected
To Reach: People Who Don't Know About and Don't Seek Fentanyl
NOTE: For Spanish copy and graphics, visit the Spanish Partner Toolkit
Post 1
Drugs containing #fentanyl, even in very small amounts, substantially increase the risk of overdose and death. Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that works to reverse an opioid #overdose, including fentanyl overdose. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 2
#Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the leading cause of #overdose deaths in the United States. Anyone can carry and administer naloxone – a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 3
#Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic drug that is often mixed with powder and pill forms of drugs and causing overdoses in the United States. Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that works to reverse an opioid #overdose, including fentanyl overdose.
Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 4
Touching someone who has used or overdosed from #fentanyl will not harm you. This incorrect belief hinders rescue of people experiencing an overdose and worsens the stigma faced by #PeopleWhoUseDrugs. It is safe to give someone naloxone and to give rescue breaths. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 5
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is so strong that a tiny amount, equivalent to several grains of salt, can cause a fatal #overdose in a matter of minutes if naloxone isn’t available. It is difficult for people who use drugs to detect #fentanyl contamination in illicit drugs, placing people at higher risk for overdose and even death.
There is no better time to carry naloxone and learn how to use it. You could help save someone’s life! Learn more: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 6
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin, causing an increase in overdoses in the United States. Drugs that are manufactured illegally like counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine are often contaminated with fentanyl leading to overdoses. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 7
Did you know that opioid overdoses are on the rise due to illicit #fentanyl being mixed with other drugs, like counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine? Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that works to reverse an opioid overdose, including fentanyl overdose. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 8
#Fentanyl is being mixed with other drugs, like counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. This is causing an increase in overdose deaths. Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication that works to reverse an opioid overdose, including fentanyl overdose. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 9
In 2020, #fentanyl was present in over 60% of all drug deaths in the U.S. Drugs may contain deadly levels of fentanyl, and you wouldn’t be able to see it, taste it, or smell it. Naloxone, given as a nasal spray, can reverse #overdose and save a life. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 10
In just a few minutes, you can learn how to recognize the signs of an #overdose, give naloxone, and save a life! Mark your calendar, our next #naloxone training will be held on [insert date/time]. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
To Reach: People Who Know About and/or Seek Fentanyl
Post 1
The street drug supply has always been unpredictable and inconsistent, especially now with #fentanyl contamination. Assume #overdose is possible no matter what drug you’re using and practice harm reduction strategies consistently to reduce #overdose risk. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 2
Recognizing an opioid #overdose can be difficult. If you aren’t sure, it is best to treat the situation like an overdose—you could save a life. Call 911 immediately Give them naloxone. Do not leave the person alone. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 3
It may be hard to tell whether a person is high or experiencing an #overdose. If you aren’t sure, treat it as an #overdose and call 911 immediately and give naloxone—you could save a life! Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it:
Post 4
People who use counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, which may be contaminated with #fentanyl, are at risk for opioid #overdose. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 5
#PeopleWhoUseDrugs are in danger more than ever with the rise of #fentanyl contamination in street drugs. Your local syringe services program (SSP) has information and resources to help protect you from overdose. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 6
Anyone who uses drugs like #fentanyl, counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine is at risk of #overdose. Naloxone, given as a nasal spray, can reverse overdose and save a life. Naloxone is available at your pharmacy without a prescription. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 7
In just a few minutes, you can learn how to recognize the signs of an #overdose, give naloxone, and save a life! Mark your calendar, our next #naloxone training will be held on [insert date/time]. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 8
In 2021, #fentanyl became the leading cause of death of Americans 18-45 years old. If you or your loved ones use drugs like #fentanyl, counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, having naloxone with you and knowing how to use it could save a life. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Post 9
If you or your loved ones use drugs like #fentanyl, counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, stop an #overdose by calling 911, giving rescue breaths and naloxone, and staying until help arrives. Help save a life by following four steps to stop an overdose. Help save lives – carry #naloxone and learn how to use it: https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone
Fentanyl: The Current Wave of the Opioid Crisis in [insert name of community]
The United States has passed a grim, heartbreaking milestone: a record number of Americans are dying as a result of a drug overdose. Between April 2020 and April 2021, drugs – mostly synthetic opioids such as fentanyl – took the lives of more than 100,000 of our sons and daughters, loved ones and neighbors, community members, and friends. [Insert community specific data on fentanyl-related overdose deaths, if available].
This rise in opioid overdoses across the U.S. is largely due to illicit fentanyl contaminating street drugs. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is FDA-approved as a patch or lozenge for the treatment of severe pain. Fentanyl is at least 50 times more potent than heroin. Most recent cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose, and death in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl that is mixed into drugs like counterfeit painkillers and benzodiazepines, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
Because we have an unregulated and criminalized drug supply, there is no way to tell if a street drug one is using is 100% safe. This means that someone may use a product that they believe their body is able to tolerate, but it may actually be much stronger than they expect due to being contaminated with fentanyl, without knowing. The opioid crisis is not confined to a particular subset of our population. The epidemic affects wealthy and poor, Black and white, rural and urban, and every corner of [insert name of community].
HEALing Our Communities
The street drug supply has always been unpredictable and inconsistent – this is especially true now. Assume overdose risk no matter what drug you’re using, and practice as much harm reduction as possible, as consistently as possible:
-
Go slow.
-
Use less.
-
Try not to use alone. If you do, have someone with naloxone check on you.
-
If you’re using in a group, have naloxone on-hand and take turns so someone is always alert and available to respond.
-
Know the signs of an overdose.
-
Carry naloxone and know how to use it.
-
Look out for others in the community and administer naloxone if you suspect an overdose!
By following these harm reduction strategies, together, we can HEAL our communities and reduce preventable overdose deaths.
More Information
To learn more about fentanyl and naloxone, visit https://bit.ly/HCS-naloxone