Opioids

Overdose Crisis in United States

The United States in facing an overdose crisis, with 83,000 opioid-related overdose deaths per year, more than 90% of which involve fentanyl. This same issue is happening in California:

  • Nearly 7,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2022

  • 87% of those deaths involved fentanyl

  • More than 21,000 emergency room visits were related to opioid overdose

Source: California Department of Public Health

Fentanyl Use in Los Angeles County

In 2022, fentanyl became the most common drug for accidental overdose deaths in Los Angeles County (LAC). Fentanyl accounted for 59% of all alcohol and other drug overdose deaths in LAC. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.

While it is intended to be used as an anesthetic or pain killer only by medical professionals, the ongoing fentanyl epidemic is driven by illicitly manufactured fentanyl that is causing a growing number of accidental poisonings and overdoses, especially in situations where fentanyl has been laced with other drugs or has imitated other pills like oxycodone.

Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control.

Our Efforts - Let’s Make a Difference (LMD) Campaign

Through the "Let’s Make a Difference" campaign, CoPALM has been promoting safe prescription drug practices including safe disposal, and best practices for keeping prescription drugs out of reach from children.

The “Let’s Make a Difference Campaign” aims to promote safe prescription drug practices, such as safe disposal and storage in an effort to keep prescription drugs out of reach from children. In order to establish the goals of the campaign, CoPALM implements the following strategies:

  • Rx Safe Home Pledge: Ask community members to sign a pledge to secure, not share and properly dispose of all expired or unused medications in homes.

  • Pharmacy Engagement: CoPALM actively recruits and engages various independent pharmacies to participate in the LMD Campaign and distribute prevention materials, promote alternate Rx disposal locations/options and seek to have an Rx drop-off box at their site.

  • Community Partnerships: CoPALM collaborates with schools, parent centers, community-based organizations, childcare centers, and other strategic partners to adopt the LMD Campaign and distribute educational materials to their target community.

  • Rx Take Back Events: Partner with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and local law enforcement to host an Rx Take Back event where community members can safely dispose of their unused or expired medication.