Oklahoma is in the midst of a drug epidemic, including Broken Arrow, according to Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Director Donnie Anderson. 

Anderson spoke at a Fentanyl Forum hosted by the Broken Arrow Police Department on July 14 at the Broken Arrow Chamber. 

This year, his department has seen a 418.6 percent increase in overdoses. 

“In Oklahoma, you are more likely to have an overdose death than to be shot and killed by a firearm,” Anderson said. “I don’t think that statistic is one to be proud of, but that is exactly what is happening.”

One pill can kill. 

He says every drug that is purchased on the street has the potential to be laced with potentially fatal amounts of fentanyl. There has also been a significant drop in the number of people seeking treatment from 3,367 in 2017 to 2,372 in 2021. 

“I can promise you if we’re not treating people who have this addiction, two things will happen, they will die or end up in prison,” he said.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that was developed in 1959 for pain management. It’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. 

Common signs of an opioid overdose include:

•          The person will not wake up even if you shake them or say their name.

•          Slow, shallow, erratic, or absent breathing

•          Lips and fingernails turn blue or gray

•          Skin gets pale, clammy

•          Snore-like gurgling or choking sounds

•          Vomiting

•          Irrational behavior or confusion

Dr. Cory Kebert, M.D., Ascension St. John, said, for the most part, people are unaware that fentanyl is in the drugs they are taking. 

“In the ER, we see young people with their whole lives in front of them,” he said. “These opiate overdoses leave devastating effects on the kidneys, liver, and brain.”

According to Kebert, Narcan, also called Naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose, should be in every police car and home. It is available without a prescription. For more information on where to get a free naloxone kit, visit Oklahoma.gov/health/overdose.

Dr. Jason Beaman is the chair of the Oklahoma Opioid Overdose Fatality Review Board. That board reviews all the opioid deaths that occur in the state. 

He says Oklahoma is an excellent market for the cartel, and we are their “ideal customer.” 

“The question isn’t why is fentanyl in Oklahoma? It’s why do so many Oklahomans take fentanyl?” Beaman said. “It’s not just fentanyl, it’s marijuana, alcohol, and methamphetamines.”

He attributes much of the addiction problems in the state to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and says it comes from children growing up in traumatic households. 

“It’s trauma that is causing them to seek out substances when they are in high school,” he said. 

Oklahoma leads the nation in Adverse Childhood Experiences, according to Beaman. 

Assistant Chief Mark Steward of the Broken Arrow Fire Department acknowledged the parents in attendance who had lost a loved one to a drug overdose. 

“We’re in a perfect storm right now, coming out of a pandemic and dealing with the strongest narcotic we’ve ever seen,” Steward said. 

Sgt. Eric Nester, BAPD, said in Broken Arrow that there had been a significant increase in overdose calls in 2022.

“At this point, we are at 50 percent more overdose calls this year than we were at this point last year,” Nester said. “That is a very concerning number.” 

Another issue is the emergence of counterfeit pills. 

“We are seeing an increase in people taking pills that aren’t aware they are laced with fentanyl,” Nester said.  

If you need help finding treatment referrals, call 211.

Click here to watch Fentanyl Forum video.  PowerPoint Presentation is also available here.