DART launches new campaign on fentanyl awareness

A local taskforce is launching a new campaign aimed at fighting fentanyl use Douglas, Coos and Curry Counties.

The Drug, Alcohol and RX Taskforce — known as DART — is beginning a campaign called Aware, Prepared and Alive, which it hopes will educate communities about fentanyl, ways to stay safe and support how the community can work together to save lives from the dangerous drug.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is found to be fifty times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, according to a release from the Douglas Public Health Network.

DART has established a website, www.awarepreparedalive.com, which provides information and resources. The campaign will also feature video testimonials of local residents impacted by fentanyl and social media pages.

DART also plans to help by supplying the community with Naloxone to prevent overdoses and supporting local treatment options for Substance Use Disorder.

DART is a team of over 30 local community members and organizations that work together to prevent overdoses, fight stigma, support access to treatment and support change.