Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2024 August)
In Fairfax County, more people die from drug overdoses than car accidents. Many fatal overdoses in Fairfax involve opioids, which are a class of drugs that include synthetic opioids such as fentanyl; pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, and morphine; the illegal drug heroin; and many others. Use of opioids, either by themselves or in combination with other drugs, is a major driver of the national drug overdose crisis. Like communities across the nation, in recent years, the vast majority of overdose deaths in Fairfax County have involved illicitly manufactured fentanyl.
To fight this crisis, help is needed from everyone in the community. Here are a few ways you can make a difference:
Keep Your Medications Out of the Wrong Hands
If you have been prescribed opioids or other painkillers, it is important to keep these powerful drugs, as well as other prescribed medications, from being accidentally ingested by keeping them out of reach of children or misused by others by securing them in a lock box. Devices can be purchased from retailers, or you can request a free medication lock box from the Fairfax-Fall Church Community Services Board (CSB). Learn more at FairfaxCounty.gov/community-services-board/prevention/lock-and-talk.
If you have expired, unwanted or unused medicines in your home, there are free, convenient, confidential and safe disposal options in Fairfax County. Disposing of them properly will help prevent misuse, accidental poisonings and protect the environment. Learn more at FairfaxCounty.gov/health/drug-disposal.
Learn How to Recognize and Respond to an Overdose
Watch a ten minute video (available in English and Spanish) on how to recognize the signs of an overdose and administer naloxone (the medication that reverses an opioid overdose). You can also sign up for a free, virtual class – or request an in-person training for your group – on what to do during an opioid overdose emergency, how to administer naloxone and what to do afterward. Upon successful completion of the training, residents of Fairfax County and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church can receive a free box of naloxone upon request. Go to bit.ly/revive-csb to learn more and register for an upcoming training.
Other Actions You Can Take
- Never share your prescription medication with others.
- If you’re prescribed an opioid-based medication, ask your health care provider about the risks and whether alternative options are available. Don’t hesitate to speak up to protect yourself from opioid dependency.
- Never buy pills from social media, online, on the street, or from unlicensed pharmacies.
- Assume any pills that are sold online, on social media, on the streets, or by someone you don’t know are laced with fentanyl.
- If you’re worried that a loved one is struggling with opioids or other substances, reach out, listen, and encourage them to get help. Information about detox and recovery programs in Fairfax County can be found at bit.ly/DetoxAware22.
- If you’re struggling with opioids or other substances, help is available. Call the CSB Peer Outreach Response Team at 703-559-3199 to get support in finding the recovery pathway that works best for you.
- In a substance use crisis, call the Fairfax Detoxification Center at 703-502-7000, 24/7. Call 911 in a life-threating emergency.
Learn more about opioids, including fentanyl, and what Fairfax County is doing to combat the crisis by visiting FairfaxCounty.gov/topics/opioids.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).