The Antelope Valley is #1

Lake Los Angeles – During the Courageous Conversations Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday March 15, at Challenger Middle School, Wilsona School District, Los Angeles County Public Health presented a huge amount of information dealing with Fentanyl overdoses in Los Angeles County. The report was 25 pages with data analyzed in several forms.

This powerful PowerPoint presentation was shown by Los Angeles County Public Health which surprised everyone in the room. The statistics are staggering. The report breaks down the crisis in the following ways:

• Drug Overdose Deaths

• Fentanyl Overdose Deaths by Age

• Fentanyl Overdose Deaths by Gender

• Fentanyl Overdose Deaths by Race/Ethnicity

• Fentanyl Overdose Deaths by Area Poverty

• Fentanyl Overdose Deaths by Supervisorial District (SD

• Fentanyl Overdose Deaths by Region

• Fentanyl Overdose ED Visits by Age

• Fentanyl Overdose ED Visits by Gender

• Fentanyl Overdose ED Visits by Race/Ethnicity

• Fentanyl Overdose ED Visits by Supervisorial District (SD)

• Fentanyl Overdose ED Visits by Region

• Fentanyl Overdose Hospitalizations by Age

• Fentanyl Overdose Hospitalizations by Gender

• Fentanyl Overdose Hospitalizations by Race/Ethnicity

• Fentanyl Overdose Hospitalizations by Supervisorial District (SD)

• Fentanyl Overdose Hospitalizations by Region

The Antelope Valley is #1 in the importing, sales and use of illegal drugs in the County. That statistic was the most shocking as nobody expected that could happen in our communities, in Lake Los Angeles, not possible.

Figure 24 shows that fentanyl overdose hospitalizations fluctuated from 2016-2019 but had large increases in 2020 for all regions in the County. In 2020, the Antelope Valley region had the highest rate of fentanyl overdose hospitalizations per 100,000 population.

The aggregated fentanyl overdose hospitalizations by age group by region in 2016-2020 revealed the proportion of youth fentanyl overdose hospitalizations was highest in the Antelope Valley region at 8.7%

Resident Deputy Gilberto Borruel discussed the gravity and enormity of the situation and sprinkled a helping of humor while dealing with an ugly subject to get the attention the topic needed.

Deputy Borruel introduced himself to the members explaining his work experience and of all the assignments he had in 15 years he loved the most is being the Resident Deputy in Lake Los Angeles. “I love LLA. I care. We all live here. Drug abuse is the Big Bad Deal and #1 in our community.

“It started with the grows. We identified 380 properties. We got rid of 380 properties! GONE!" {applause]

Fentanyl overdoses are a significant and growing public health problem across the United States and in Los Angeles County across sociodemographic groups and geographic areas. This is complicated by the fact that many overdoses associated with fentanyl are related to poisonings among individuals ingesting fentanyl unknowingly. The increases among youth who are being targeted by drug traffickers, and the widening disparities among marginalized groups are particularly concerning.

• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.

• Even a tiny amount of fentanyl can cause death.

• It has been found in nearly all forms of illegal street drugs and counterfeit pills, as drug traffickers intentionally add fentanyl to their drugs to reduce costs, to enhance the effect of an existing drug, and/or to make their drugs more addictive.

• Use of illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) can lead to addiction and overdose.

• IMF is cheap and easy to make quickly and in large quantities.

Superintendent Bervel said, “The dangers of Fentanyl are real, and I want to take a few minutes to talk about this, the impact it can have on our students and what we are doing to help with intervention and prevention in our schools.”

Deputy Borruel added, “I am here to keep enforcement going. I am dedicated to Lake Los Angeles. I work with two radio cars with two deputies each around the clock, 24/7. We need all of you. What you know, what you see, you call! Tell us who you are, what’s the problem, where and when. What do you smell? What do you see? Let me know. We have dedicated patrols here. I need and got all of you with your eyes and ears. Take down plates, color of the car, make or any detail you see. A partial plate is all I need. I have a tool and I will use it to figure out that plate and identify the car. Don’t teach your kids to be scared of us. They should not be afraid of us. Talk to me. I know how to handle kids. I know how to get around kids. It’s either the kid or the kid’s family. I’ll handle it. Peer pressure is number one and so is bullying. Kids feel caught in the middle. Here’s my number, my county issued number 213-420-7296.”

Los Angeles County Public Health data team is pulling current trends for Lake LA for sharing with the community’s use and review. Once those are available, it will be shared with the community.

Drug overdose is preventable, and a variety of evidence-based tools are known to be effective. Primary prevention will need to communicate both the inherent dangers associated with illicit drug use and the high probability of poisoning.

The opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan has been approved for sale over the counter. The FDA approved Narcan for sale without a prescription on March 29, 2023. The opioid overdose reversal drug would be available at pharmacies and convenience stores nationally, increasing access as opioid deaths climb. At the Courageous Conversations Town Hall Meeting Narcan was distributed to everyone who wanted to have it on hand for any emergency they may encounter. The attendees were taught how to use it. Two packages went with Deputy Borruel to keep in his patrol unit.

By Shirley Harriman