EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – The National Fentanyl Awareness Day, May 9th, 2003, draws attention to the “severe” overdose problem which, according to the Centers for Disease Control, amounts to over 75,000 deaths per year in the United States.

“Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered,” said program Administrator Anne Milgram.  “Fentanyl is everywhere. From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison. We must take every opportunity to spread the word to prevent fentanyl-related overdose death and poisonings from claiming scores of American lives every day” she added.

DEA has created a special exhibit, The Faces of Fentanyl, to commemorate the lives lost from fentanyl poisoning. If you would like to submit a photo of a loved one lost to fentanyl, please send* their name, age, and photograph to fentanylawareness@dea.gov, or post a photo and their name to social media using the hashtag #JustKNOW.
*BY SUBMITTING PHOTOGRAPHS AND SHARING YOUR STORY, YOU AUTHORIZE THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION (DEA), THE RIGHT TO USE THESE MATERIALS WITHOUT LIMITATION.
The DEA Faces of Fentanyl Wall exhibit is located at DEA Headquarters, at 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202. Visitors can view the wall Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Please note: DEA Headquarters is a federal building, and visitors must comply with security rules and procedures. Guests over the age of 18 must present a valid government issued photo ID. All bags, purses, etc., will be screened, and guests will be required to step through a metal detector.

The consumption of Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, and its abuse, is responsible for more deaths in Americans under 50 years of age than any other cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, homicide and suicide. Americans are largely mixing Fentanyl with methamphetamine, heroine, and cocaine. “Fentanyl is the deadliest drug our country has ever seen,” explained Milgram, who also pointed: “consumers don’t realize that one single pill can kill.” The National Fentanyl Awareness Day allows the public to spread the word about the dangers of the drug in order to save lives.

As of November, 2022, Texas reported 5,159 deaths for drug overdose. This total reflects a change of almost 5% compared to the previous year. However, a national update on death counts reflects a curve that has been growing since June 2015. The administrator for the program invites the public to help raise awareness of the problem specifically tomorrow –National Fentanyl Awareness Day.