Several organizations have banded together to present a free event to bring awareness to accidental drug overdoses, particularly from Fentanyl.

Gateway to Prevention and Recovery, Seminole State College, Country Road and the Stonegate Center are sponsoring an Overdose Community Event tomorrow evening (Thursday, Feb. 23) at the Jeff Johnston Fine Arts Center at Seminole State College. The 90-minute event will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The documentary “Dead on Arrival” will be presented at the event, followed by a Q&A session with panelists which include DEA Special Agent Aden Ethridge, Dustin Huckabe of the Children’s Recovery Center, Pam Stattman, the mother of a lost child, Cleveland County District Judge Michael Tupper and County Road Executive Director Michael Lacy. Drew Laboon will serve as moderator.

Facts About Fentanyl Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid that has been used in clinical settings for decades and is often described as 80-100 times stronger than morphine, or about 50 times stronger than heroin.

Fentanyl moving through the street market comes in the form of a white, gray or tan powder and can be injected, smoked, or snorted.

It has also been found in other drugs, like heroin, meth, cocaine, and pressed pills.

Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (some stronger, some weaker) are not “naloxone resistant.” They are opioids and will respond to naloxone in the event of an overdose.

You cannot overdose simply by touching powdered fentanyl. This is a common myth, but fentanyl must be introduced into the bloodstream or a mucus membrane in order for someone to feel the effects. Transdermal fentanyl patches exist and are used primarily in medical settings, but are uniquely formulated to be absorbed by the skin.