KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety says officers responded to more than a dozen overdoses and five deaths in just the last 24 hours.
KDPS warns that these instances all stem from a deadly batch of fentanyl that is circulating around the community right now.
The department says officers are actively investigating the string of overdoses and working with the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET) and other law enforcement agencies in the area.
🚨PSA🚨
— KDPS (@KalPublicSafety) April 13, 2023
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) has responded to over a dozen overdoses and five deaths in the past 24 hours from a deadly batch of fentanyl in our community. 🧵
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for pain relief and anesthetic.
It is about 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency.
People abuse the drug by snorting or sniffing it, smoking it, taking pills or tablets, among other ways.
Fentanyl can produce the following effects on the body:
- Relaxation
- Euphoria
- Pain relief
- Sedation
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Urinary retention
- Pupillary constriction
- Respiratory depression
Fentanyl overdoses can cause changes in pupillary size, cold and clammy skin, cyanosis, coma and respiratory failure causing death.
"If people are going to use, make sure you're not alone. Use with a friend, take turns and if at all possible, do a smaller test amount to make sure that you are going to be as safe as possible," Jennifer Churilla, the director of operations at Recovery Institute of Southwest Michigan, Inc. – Kalamazoo, explained.
The FDA approved the Narcan nasal spray that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose in March. Now, it is an over-the-counter drug that you do not need a prescription for.
READ MORE: Red Project, other advocates react to Narcan becoming over-the-counter
Click here to learn more about how to respond to an opioid overdose and how to access Narcan in Michigan.
If you have any information about the deadly batch of fentanyl in the Kalamazoo area or information about other illegal drugs, call Silent Observer at 269-343-2100 or submit a tip anonymously online.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can reach out to KDPS's partners at Integrated Services of Kalamazoo (ISK) at 269-373-6000 or Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health at 800-781-0353.
There is also free, confidential help through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 and through the Never Use Alone Hotline: 1-800-484-3731, which you can call if you're going to use— someone will stay on the phone and make sure you stay responsive and call for help if you become unresponsive.
Additionally, the state of Michigan offers substance use help by county. To find resources in your county, click here.
"If someone realizes that they might have [an] addiction problem, they can come here to Recovery Institute. They can go to ISK..." Shay Pounds, a certified peer support specialist and recovery coach at the Recovery Institute of Southwest Michigan, Inc. – Kalamazoo, told FOX 17 Thursday. "One thing about Recovery Institute is most of us are peers so we have lived experience with substance use so we're able to, like, share our lived experience with them and give them that glimpse of hope, that recovery is possible even if they're not ready today...When you're ready, we're here for you. We're not gonna judge you."
