“Fentanyl destroys families”—why you need these free test strips + Narcan available right now in Alabama

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Susan Martin’s 41-year-old son Heath never abused drugs or alcohol. Then, one day, she came home to their home off 280 to find him dead of a fentanyl overdose. We spoke with Susan to find out what happened and how people can protect their loved ones.

The first step is to download this new app which will give you access to free Narcan and the training to use it. The app also includes resources for how you can get free fentanyl test strips. Keep reading for all the details.

Susan Martin’s story

Heath Martin had been suffering from a recurring cyst on his back. Without health insurance, his options for pain management were limited, so he reached out to an unknown source to purchase two Oxycodone pills.

When the coroner and the investigator came to the house, they thought the remaining pill looked just like Oxycodone. Unfortunately, it turned out to be pure fentanyl—a dose large enough to kill several adults.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

As Susan said, “Heath didn’t stand a chance.”

“I’m without my son; my daughter’s without her brother, and worst of all, my grandson is without his daddy for the rest of his life. Fentanyl destroys families completely. Nothing will ever been the same. There’s just nothing more devastating than losing a child.”

Susan Martin

Now, Susan runs a Facebook group for others who have lost someone to fentanyl. She regularly hears stories of how those lost suffered from mental illness, trauma and addiction—then, there are stories like the woman who died from fentanyl someone had put in her mixed drink.

When I asked what she wants people to know, Susan didn’t hesitate:

“It could be their child. I think people think their kids are safe, because they don’t have a history of any type of drug or alcohol abuse or anything like that. But neither did my son. Nobody is safe. It doesn’t matter the age because quite frankly, I’ve seen all ages in our group, from 14 to 60s, that have passed.”

Connect Alabama is a new behavioral health services and treatment finder app that can help with mental health, substance use and more. Download it for free today.

Where fentanyl test strips + Narcan (naloxone) come in

In a world where anyone can buy Adderall, marijuana and more from social media, it’s super-important to know what you’re putting into your body. Why? Because it’s becoming more common for these substances to be laced with fentanyl.

“[Illegally-made fentanyl] is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive and more dangerous.”

CDC: Facts about Fentanyl

How it works: Fentanyl lands on the opioid or pain receptors in the brain to reduce pain. When it does that, it also slows down the respiratory center. First breathing stops, then the heart and eventually, the person dies.

FAQs

Q: What are fentanyl test strips (FTS)?

A:

“Fentanyl test strips are a low-cost method of helping prevent drug overdoses and reducing harm. FTS are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs…and drug forms… FTS provide people who use drugs and communities with important information about fentanyl in the illicit drug supply so they can take steps to reduce risk of overdose.”

CDC: Fentanyl Test Strips: A Harm Reduction Strategy

Q: What is naloxone?

A: Naloxone is a safe medication that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, if given in time. It can temporarily stop the effects of opioids and help a person breathe again. Narcan is a brand name, whereas naloxone is the generic.

Q: Where can I get fentanyl test strips in Alabama?

A: To get free fentanyl test strips in Alabama, download the Connect Alabama app and sign up for the one-hour free training.

Q: Where can I get naloxone, or Narcan, in Alabama?

A: To get naloxone, or Narcan, in Alabama, download the Connect Alabama app and sign up for the free one-hour training.

Keep the people you love safe. Download the Connect Alabama app today.

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