City of Alexandria Recognizes National Fentanyl Awareness Day, May 7 

Page updated on April 30, 2024 at 2:57 PM
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For Immediate Release: April 29, 2024
Media Contact: Mara Jacobs, Opioid Treatment Program Team Leader, mara.jacobs@alexandriava.gov, 703.746.3667

City of Alexandria Recognizes National Fentanyl Awareness Day, May 7 

Alexandria, Va. – Join the City of Alexandria’s Opioid Treatment Program in support of the third annual National Fentanyl Awareness Day to raise awareness about fentanyl-laced illicit drugs, ways that residents can prevent substance misuse, and treatment resources to manage substance use disorders.

The event, to be held on May 7 at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center Café (4850 Mark Center Dr.), from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature demonstrations, treatment information, health resources, free distribution of Narcan overdose medication and test strips for fentanyl and other drugs, and light refreshments.

In 2022, more than 73,000 people died from a fentanyl overdose in the US, double the number of deaths from three years prior. Fentanyl-involved deaths are fastest growing among 14 to 23-year-olds.

Fentanyl is found in fake pills and many street drugs with users unaware that their drugs contain a potent opioid. Cutting fentanyl counterfeit prescription pills like Oxycodone, Percocet and Xanax and marketing them is common. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, four out of ten pills with illicit fentanyl tested in their labs contain a potentially lethal dose.

The Opioid Work Group and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) encourage residents to spread lifesaving information about fentanyl and to prevent medication misuse by:

  • Raising awareness about only taking medication prescribed by a doctor or purchased at a pharmacy. 
  • Sharing information about the dangers associated with fentanyl in fake pills and street drugs.
  • Exploring resources available for parents and other caring adults to initiate conversations with youth.
  • Disposing of unused or expired medication via one of several safe options for disposal.
  • Accessing free locking medication boxes to secure medication. 
  • Getting free Narcan.

The City’s Department of Community and Human Services provides access to treatment for people dealing with any substance misuse. Call 703.746.3636 (Virginia Relay 711) 24 hours a day. For help stopping the use of heroin or other opioids, call the Opioid Treatment Program  703.746.3610. Always call 911 if you suspect someone is overdosing.  To provide information regarding past overdoses or drug activity, please call the Alexandria Police Department at 703.746.6277.

Visit alexandriava.gov/Opioids for more information. Visit alexandriava.gov/SAPCA to learn about ways to prevent youth substance misuse.

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For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Maurice Tomdio at maurice.tomdio@alexandriava.gov, or call 571.384.5244, Virginia Relay 711. If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available; please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.3960.

Alexandria at 275: Celebrate Alexandria's 275th birthday from April through September at alexandriava.gov/ALX275.