Title: The Fentanyl Crisis Hits Wisconsin Hard
Original CoS Document (slug): the-fentanyl-crisis-hits-wisconsin-hard
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Created: 2023-02-19 01:11:50
Updated: 2023-02-25 03:00:00
Published: 2023-02-17 01:00:00
Converted: 2025-04-14T21:23:06.509347865
Wisconsin Fentanyl overdose deaths increased 97% from 2019 to 2021. It is chilling to project what the data for 2022 will bring.
Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has issued a Public Health Advisory due to the 97 % increase in fentanyl overdose deaths from 2019 (651) to 2021 (1,280) in Wisconsin. This outpaces the national rate of 56 % increase to 100,306 deaths reported by the CDC over the same period.
The highly addictive synthetic opioid is often deceptively mixed into other drugs usually in pill form. And since with fentanyl the size of two grains of salt is enough to kill someone.
It is now the leading cause of death for Americans from age 18 to 45. Nationally, more than 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. It is killing more people in Milwaukee County than homicides, suicides and car crashes combined.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which decreases heart rate and breathing, leading to decreased oxygen flow that cause a person to pass out often resulting in death.
Even though this self-induced crisis may be occurring over a thousand miles away at our southern border, it has devastating and tragic effects in Wisconsin, making our state a border state. The lion’s share of fentanyl is now manufactured in China, shipped to Mexico, and then brought into the United States by Mexican cartels. Dealers often combine fentanyl with prescription pain killing medication like Percocet or other opioid pills.
The tragic effects in Wisconsin communities, has blindsided many families. For instance, Rick and Erin Rachwal lost their 19-year-old son, Logan, to fentanyl in 2021 while he was a freshman at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. It took only one pill and he was gone. The same thing happened in the same dorm to another family which drove the Rachwals to educate parents and youth about the life-or-death decision of experimenting with drugs.
Logan’s parents’ desperate plea is about educating kids on the danger of drugs. Erin, Logan’s mom compared it to playing Russian roulette. A dangerous gun game which is often deadly.
The Rachwals cofounded 'Love, Logan' a not for profit organization to educate and advocate. Their national efforts to raise awareness included a message on the electronic billboard in Time Square in New York City. Their local efforts have included placing Narcan kits in the dorms on University of Wisconsin campuses and educating freshman classes at orientation.
Wisconsin Legislators United
State lawmakers have put bipartisan and unanimous support behind legislation to address this deadly issue. There is a state spending plan resulting from the multi-state lawsuit against opioid makers. Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, who co-chairs the Joint finance committee helped guide the spending package through the allocation process. The law would provide $31 million for opioid abuse prevention and treatment.
State Senator Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton had a personal connection through his daughter’s struggles with addiction and having to be revived by Narcan.
A number of Wisconsin counties such as Brown County have launched efforts to informing the public through rented billboards and mass mailing to all county addresses encouraging parents to speak with their children, and to warn that a single pill a friend or classmate encourages them to take can be deadly.
Friends and family can also take action. The first step is to engage your loved ones in a conversation about the fatal nature of the fentanyl crisis. Next, observe kids’ for changes in attitudes and behaviors. Lastly, consider having Narcan available in case of emergency. Signs of an overdose: https://infogram.com/signs_overdose-1h7z2l8l3eqyg6o
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