MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Fentanyl drug overdose is a serious problem in the U.S. Here in Shelby County, officials say just last year the country had more than 100,000 deaths due to fentanyl overdoses.
A deeply hurt mother described the mixed emotions she felt the day she learned about her son's fentanyl drug overdose last September.
"I have the nightmares of when the cops knocked on my door and told me my son was no longer with me," Kathryn Robb said.
Robb said that her son, John, was in town to celebrate his friend's birthday just two weeks before his own 30th birthday.
He was not even in town for a full 24 hours before she found out that he was found unconscious and left dead in a Millington hotel room, Robb said.
"Two grains of salt will kill you," Robb stated. "My son had enough fentanyl in him to kill 7 people."
She shared that her son had been addicted to crystal meth since age 19, and he struggled to overcome the issue.
"My son's addiction was a battle, and he tried so many times to stop. He didn't say, "Hey I'm going out to do fentanyl and dying today," Robb said.
Robb said that she has experienced several emotions while grieving the loss of her son.
"Distraught, hurt, anger, sadness, lonely, knowing that I can never kiss my son or text him or tell him how much I love him," Robb said.
This issue is happening everywhere. Officials said just in 2021, there were more than 100,000 deaths for the first time in the U.S., and here in Shelby County the year to date so far is 1,012 overdoses. 188 Of those were fatal.
Bradford Health Services Representative Austin Carroll said even recreational drug use has become more dangerous than ever.
"You can not spot the difference. They look like the real thing, they feel like the real thing," Carroll said. "They're the same color, the same exact imprints. They have the real machines to make the pills any way they wanted to. And the problem is they're not trying to kill you, they're trying to get you addicted to their product."
He said since there are no regulations to know how much fentanyl is going into each pill, it is hard to know the impact it could have on you.
"Four out of ten pills that you buy on the streets are fentanyl and four out of ten of those are a fatal level."
It can also be laced with other drugs like marijuana and cocaine, and since it is such a huge problem, Carroll said, it is important to keep a can of Narcan nearby, which can treat a narcotic overdose in an emergency situation.
"There's fentanyl test strips. You can use these test strips to test your drugs to make sure they're not fentanyl because people aren't going to stop using drugs just because we tell them to," Carroll stated.
There are also many medically-assisted programs that are available, whether you're insured or not.
If you or a loved one is struggling with drug addiction, consider these services below.
Bradford Health Services - bradfordhealth.com +1 (901)-649-2171 or email Austin Carroll at austin.carroll@bradfordhealt.com
Memphis Area Prevention Coalition - memphisprevention.org or call Josh Weil at +1 (901) 495-5103.
A Betor Way - abetorway.org or call Brady Yackey at +1 (901) 860-8850.
P.E.A.S. - partnershiptoendaidsstatus.com or call Rosa Barber at +1 (769) 251-3150.
S.O.R. Program - www.caapincorporated.com/state-opioid-response-sor-program or call Chris Moore at +1 (901) 643-6212.