The New Form Of Fentanyl Worrying Montana Officials

Montana DOJ Summit Warns About A New Form of Fentanyl

Montana officials are warning that fentanyl is showing up in a different form, which they say could make an already dangerous drug that much harder to predict.

On September 9th, the Montana Department of Justice held an Opioid Overdose Prevention Summit in Missoula, bringing together law enforcement, health care workers, educators, and people who have been affected by addiction.

Summit Focuses On Fentanyl Prevention and Reaching Kids

Officials say they're seeing less fentanyl in the form of pressed pills and more of it showing up as a powder. The problem is that the amount and purity of fentanyl in that powder can vary, which increases the risk of an overdose.

According to NBC Montana, the summit also focused heavily on prevention, especially when it comes to kids.

Former DEA Special Investigator Rocky Herron spoke about his 31 years with the agency and said many of the people he encountered started using drugs when they were teenagers or even younger.

His goal now is to reach kids before they ever have to deal with the consequences of addiction.

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 Montana Families Share Stories Of Fentanyl And Opioid Overdose

He says he's not trying to scare them. He wants them to understand that they could eventually be offered a substance that could dramatically change their lives.

The summit also included families who have lost loved ones to overdoses, giving them a chance to share their stories about the consequences of opioid and fentanyl use.

Montana officials say the reason for bringing all of these groups together is pretty simple. They're all part of figuring out what actually works to keep people safe.

And when it comes to drugs, knowing what you're dealing with can be a matter of life and death.