Habersham County Sheriff’s Office recently reiterated warnings about the proliferation of fentanyl into the area and the dangers it presents.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) announced last week that it had become “aware of a dangerous, potentially lethal substance contained in street drugs surfacing in North Georgia.”
There were four overdoses in one day May 7 in Hall County, and though all were hospitalized, they were fortunate to survive.
DPH said street drugs laced with fentanyl or fentanyl analogs are common and could be the reason for these overdoses.
“Fentanyl is pouring in here, and it is getting mixed with other drugs like meth and heroin,” Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell said. “We have not heard of this here yet, but in some places it is being mixed with marijuana.”
The pipeline of laced drugs into Habersham County comes straight from Atlanta through Hall County, Terrell said. The sheriff added that fentanyl is dangerous even in small amounts, and larger amounts are being seized far more frequently in recent months.
“Some of the bigger drug players in the Appalachians are running through these markets,” Terrell said. “And even though Gainesville is 45 minutes south of us and Atlanta is a little further down, it directly affects us. It’s super dangerous, as these folks are always chasing a higher high. And where does it end?”
DPH said the average person will not be able to tell if a drug is laced by looking, smelling or touching it.
Terrell warned anyone who has family members or friends with a drug addiction to be aware of anything they might see and to proceed with caution.
“If you see a white or off-white substance that does not belong, don’t try to handle it yourself,” Terrell said. “Call an officer to help. Some people hesitate to call the law if someone has a drug problem, but sometimes jail can be the thing that makes them realize they need to get into rehab or get some other kind of help to turn their lives around. If you are enabling someone with a drug problem, that is not helping them.”
The GA 911 Medical Amnesty law provides immunity to those seeking medical attention for themselves or someone else due to an overdose.
This immunity covers possession of certain drugs or drug paraphernalia; violation of probation, parole and other violations; and illegal possession and consumption of alcohol.
Terrell said the depositing of fentanyl in everyday places like grocery carts or other often-touched surfaces has not been seen locally. “The drug dealers aren’t likely to waste it. They are trying to make money,” Terrell said.
DPH said in a release that Naloxone can be used to reverse the symptoms of a fentanyl overdose. DPH also warns that opioid overdose can result in permanent physical and mental damage or even death if medical treatment is not administered immediately.
For information on treatment and recovery services, call Georgia Crisis & Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.