LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, through its Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) Bureau, announced a new partnership with End Overdose, an organization dedicated to preventing drug overdoses through education, training, and community outreach, to address the fentanyl crisis in Los Angeles County. Together, Public Health and End Overdose will have a presence at several music and cultural festivals throughout LA County in 2025. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the risks of fentanyl, receive training and certification on how to administer naloxone, receive free naloxone, and access free resources to help prevent and reverse overdoses.
This collaboration continues the ongoing efforts by Public Health to address the fentanyl crisis in Los Angeles County. Almost 2,000 LA County residents died from an accidental fentanyl overdose or poisoning in 2023, according to the 2024 LA County Fentanyl Data Report.1 The partnership will expand the reach of Public Health's ongoing Fentanyl Frontline campaign, an initiative that was launched last year to spread awareness about the dangers of illicit fentanyl and to promote the use of naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication.
"Our partnership with End Overdose enhances our ongoing efforts to put an end to the fentanyl crisis by providing critical education, training, and resources to our communities," said Dr. Gary Tsai, the Director of SAPC. "Together, we aim to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools necessary to prevent and respond to fentanyl-related overdoses, ultimately saving lives and fostering a safer environment for all residents of Los Angeles County."
End Overdose has been at the forefront of overdose prevention efforts, providing education and training on the safe use of naloxone and other harm reduction strategies. End Overdose and Public Health are working together to ensure that more individuals, particularly those in high-risk communities, have access to life-saving tools and knowledge. DEA laboratory testing currently indicates that 7 out of 10 street-bought pills contain a potentially deadly dose of illicit fentanyl, and there is no way to see, smell, or taste if a pill or powder has been laced. Illicit fentanyl is common enough that anyone, anywhere in Los Angeles County, can be affected by fentanyl-laced pills or powders.
"The fentanyl crisis requires a united and proactive approach, and our partnership with the LA County Department of Public Health is a vital step in addressing this public health emergency," said Theo Krzywicki, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of End Overdose. "We're working together to ensure that no one in Los Angeles County loses a loved one to a preventable overdose."
This partnership marks a step forward in reducing overdose deaths and promoting a safer, more informed community.
For more information about the partnership between the LA County Department of Public Health and End Overdose, please visit fentanylfrontline.org/.
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SOURCE Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
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