The Foundation for a Drug-Free World expands educational outreach program to counter rising fentanyl deaths

Ms. Thalia Ghiglia, Foundation for a Drug-Free World DC Chapter distributes literature one on one. The Truth About Drugs educational materials are distributed internationally and are available on line in 17 languages for free.

DEA image showing a lethal dose of fentanyl

DEA photos show a counterfeit OxyContin (left) versus a genuine OxyContin (right)

Available to educators – a kit including booklets, videos, teachers’ lessons plans, and posters for use in schools or after-school programs

Drug-Free World provides health insurance enrollees life-saving information on the deadly drug fentanyl to keep their families safe

One may not get a second chance with fentanyl. Just one pill can kill.”

— Thalia Ghiglia, Foundation for a Drug-Free World

WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As deaths from counterfeit prescription drugs containing fentanyl and fentanyl-laced street drugs soar around the country, drug prevention groups are stepping up their educational outreach programs and making them available to more populations.

Thalia Ghiglia, Faith Liaison for

the Foundation for a Drug-Free World (DFW) DC chapter made clear, “The best way to prevent overdoses and deaths from fentanyl-laced drugs is to educate the community on their dangers. Many people are seeking medication for pain management or other reasons. If they get their pills from online sources, through the mail or from street vendors, there is a very high probability that these pills are not the prescription pill they are seeking but are pills laced with fentanyl.”

Ms. Ghiglia has expanded her Washington, DC, education program recently to include health insurance enrollees, giving several presentations so they, too, are aware of the dangers. During her presentations enrollees have commented that they were thankful for the information as they were not aware of some or all of it.

Free booklets on a series of key drugs, including prescription drugs, are available through the DFW program as are free public service announcements. Also available is a free video with interviews of survivors of drug use who relay real-life stories about having been on drugs and having navigated out of the danger.

Ms. Ghiglia briefed the insurance enrollees on fentanyl being added to pain killers and causing overdoses. Fentanyl is an opioid which in very small quantities, just a few grains, can cause overdose deaths.

Ms. Ghiglia said, “The rise in deaths over the last few years, including the pandemic period, has been driven by fentanyl. It’s important for youth and adults to be very careful about where they are ordering prescriptions pills online, be they Xanax, Percocet or OxyContin. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) found that one out of four illegal pills in the Washington, DC, metro area has been found to contain lethal doses of fentanyl. One may not get a second chance with fentanyl," she warned, "Just one pill can kill”.

In addition to educating insurance enrollees, Foundation for a Drug-Free World DC (DFW DC) has delivered many training seminars based on DFW’s Truth About Drugs materials to educate people, including youth involved in the criminal justice system, on the dangers and effects of drugs.

The DFW DC chapter has also spoken to groups of seniors, and is working with other drug prevention organizations to help save lives through education.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is a US nonprofit public benefit corporation that empowers youth and adults with factual information about drugs so they can make informed decisions and live drug-free. DFW offers its materials in 22 languages though their website: www.drugfreeworld.org. Their drug prevention materials consist of 13 individual booklets, public service announcements, videos and a unique documentary film on all of the drugs, plus an educator’s guide. The program addresses how drugs affect a person both physically and mentally, while giving the reader the ability to make their own informed choice.