© 2026
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scam Advisory: We have been made aware that an online entity is posing as Joe Donahue to invite authors and other creatives onto our radio shows. The scammers then attempt to charge guests an appearance fee for exposure/publicity.
Please note: WAMC does not charge guests to appear on the station and any email about appearing on a WAMC program will come from a wamc.org email address.

As street drugs become more dangerous, harm reductionists are racing to curb fentanyl deaths

WAMU 88.5 | By June Leffler
Published December 19, 2022 at 8:51 AM EST
Shaun Willis, with the Brooklyn Community Recovery Center, demonstrates how to use Narcan to revive a person in the case of a drug overdose in New York City.
Shaun Willis, with the Brooklyn Community Recovery Center, demonstrates how to use Narcan to revive a person in the case of a drug overdose in New York City.

More than100,000 peopledied last year in America from a drug overdose, most of which involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Fentanyl isdeadly and it’s winding up in street drugs of all kinds:heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and counterfeit Adderall. 

“Getting people into treatment for substance use disorders is critical, but first, people need to survive to have that choice,” said National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow.

We speak with grassroots, harm reductionists who are providing life-saving tools to the people of Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio. We discuss how pervasive fentanyl andother dangerous substancesare in the illicit drug supply. We also discuss harm reduction solutions, like naloxone and fentanyl testing strips, that can keep everyone safer.

Copyright 2022 WAMU 88.5
June Leffler