Fentanyl Overdoses Are on The Rise in Billings According to BPD

More disheartening news about fentanyl.

Just days after Montana's top law official, Attorney General Austin Knudsen, met with politicians and various drug enforcement agencies to address the press about fentanyl (link below), we get more bad news regarding the powerful drug that continues to flood Montana. The blue pills shown above are non-pharmaceutical fentanyl from a recent confiscation in Billings. Illicit fentanyl pills can come in many different colors.

Overdoses are on the rise in Billings.

In a press release from the Billings Police Department, local law enforcement shared recent statistics about the dangerous drug that is on the rise across our state. BDP Lt. Matt Lennick's office provided this information,

We are witnessing a spike in what is believed to be Fentanyl related overdoses within Yellowstone County and the Billings area. Preliminary data from numerous sources shows that there have been 159 non-fatal overdoses in Yellowstone County and 18 fatal overdoses in 2022 thus far.

The report adds that there have already been 24 overdoses reported thus far in August, and the overdose antidote  has been administered 18 times so far this month. Yikes.

Montana has a Good Samaritan law for reporting overdoses.

Always call 911 fast if you or someone you are with is experiencing an overdose. Montana's Good Samaritan law protects you and the person overdosing from drug possession charges. Symptoms of an opioid overdose may include:

• · Small constricted “pinpoint pupils”
• · Falling asleep or loss of consciousness
• · Slow, shallow breathing
• · Choking or gurgling sounds
• · Limp body
• · Pale, blue, or cold skin

Obviously, you should not use any pill or prescription drug you have not been prescribed. Fentanyl is also showing up in "recreational" drugs like cocaine or Molly (MDMA, Ecstasy). Use at your own risk, or seriously consider buying fentanyl test strips.

Decode drug emojis on your kid's phone.

Illegal drugs have always been referred to with street-slang code words or monikers. Emojis can be used for drug codes too, according to this pdf resource from the DEA.