Fentanyl-related deaths in the United States have increased in 2024, with over 48,000 reported cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that these deaths now make up about 60% of all overdose fatalities nationwide. The issue has affected many communities, including students at Tarrant County College (TCC). Landis Hinesly, a student at TCC’s TR Campus, shared a personal experience about losing a loved one to fentanyl.
To address this issue, TCC held an educational session on October 23. Hailey Bocanegra, program director of Challenge of Tarrant County’s Stand Out-Act Responsibly initiative, led the event. Challenge of Tarrant County is a local non-profit that works to prevent drug abuse through community programs. Bocanegra’s presentation focused on how to recognize and respond to opioid overdoses. She provided students with information and practical skills.
The session also discussed the use of digital platforms by drug dealers. Dealers often use coded Emojis to advertise and arrange sales, making drugs more accessible to young people. Fentanyl is sometimes disguised in counterfeit pills that look like popular medications such as Xanax and Adderall. The Drug Enforcement Administration warns that these pills can contain dangerous amounts of fentanyl…