The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness

Opinion Synthetic opioids are claiming lives at an alarming rate

February 26, 2024 at 4:09 p.m. EST
A paramedic gets a blood sample from a man reported to be in distress on Jan. 17 in D.C. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post)

Regarding the Feb. 16 Metro article “Another avenue for help”:

Though the success of D.C.’s Stabilization Center is commendable, it’s vital not to overlook the urgent opioid crisis heavily fueled by synthetic opioids claiming lives at an alarming rate. These substances can require increased doses of conventional treatments and pose an even greater threat because of their heightened lethality. It is crucial that the public health emergency declaration on the opioid crisis that recently expired be reinstated to continue comprehensive efforts to address the opioid epidemic.

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As it stands, all states and D.C. are mandated to establish policies or standing orders to facilitate first responders’ access to and utilization of Food and Drug Administration-approved reversal agents for opioid overdoses. As we advocate widespread access to reversal agents, it’s equally crucial to implement comprehensive educational initiatives aimed at informing students and campuses about the dangers of accidental overdoses and the proper utilization of these lifesaving interventions. Currently, D.C. colleges and universities are exploring comprehensive strategies to educate their campuses about the risks of opioid overdose and provide harm-reduction tools to better equip each campus to manage potential overdoses.

According to data from D.C.’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the involvement of fentanyl in overdoses surged from 72 percent in 2017 to 96 percent in 2022. We must educate the community about the preventive and treatment measures that exist and ensure access to FDA-approved overdose rescue agents, including those designed for synthetic opioids. These resources are urgently required, complementing the commendable efforts already underway in stabilization centers in D.C. and throughout the nation.

Ebony Copeland, Washington

The writer, a physician, is the director of the Student Health Center at Howard University.