Guam ‘facing a silent killer’

HAGANIA, August 5, 2024 (Guam Daily Post) – Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said there is a new threat on the island as he delivered a special address last weekend on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that was once a national problem and is now a local issue.

“Guam is obviously no stranger to the war on drugs, but I am speaking to you now because we are facing an invisible killer, a potent and deadly substance known as fentanyl. This synthetic opioid has ravaged communities across the country in recent years, and now, it is beginning to cast its shadow on Guam,” the Governor said.

Authorities have linked seven deaths in the past four years to fentanyl overdoses.

“Fentanyl is unlike any other drug. A single dose can be lethal…and lives have been lost to fentanyl simply because the victim mistook it for another drug. …To truly understand the severity of this situation, we must face the harsh reality of fentanyl’s effects,” said Leon Guerrero.

The governor cited statistics on fentanyl overdose deaths across the country, which report more than 70,000 deaths each year.

“That accounts for nearly two-thirds of all opioid-related deaths in the United States. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and just a few milligrams (the amount about the size of a pencil tip) can kill. These statistics are more than just numbers. They represent lives cut short, families broken and communities grieving,” she said.

The governor said the potency and ubiquity of opioids make them a local problem. She noted that fentanyl is used to lace heroin and methamphetamine to make them more potent and deadly. It is also used to make counterfeit prescription pills.

“Just a few days ago, the (DEA) lab found that six out of every 10 counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl analyzed in 2022 now contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl,” Leon Guerrero said.

In early July, Guam Police Chief Stephen Ignacio reported three fentanyl-related deaths on the island.

The first death Ignacio cited was a 26-year-old Department of Corrections inmate who died in custody in May and whose autopsy found fentanyl in his system, according to Post documents. Ignacio said two other men in the community died of fentanyl after being found to have a “mixture” of illegal substances in their systems, including methamphetamine and cocaine.

In the face of the threat, the governor said efforts are underway to combat fentanyl.

“First and foremost, our local law enforcement and customs officers are actively working with the federal task force to interdict dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, and prevent them from entering our communities,” said Leon Guerrero.

According to the Governor of Guam, the Guam Customs and Quarantine Bureau seized 118 suspected fentanyl pills.

“The challenges they face are enormous because fentanyl is often disguised as other substances, but they persist,” she said.

First responders, meaning police, emergency medical personnel and paramedics, are equipped and trained to use naloxone, which can be used to “quickly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, including those caused by drugs such as heroin, fentanyl and prescription painkillers.”

In fact, the training has already helped save a life. In early July, a woman being questioned during a vehicle stop began to show symptoms of an opioid overdose, according to Post documents. The officer gave her naloxone.

The Governor recognizes that “there is an urgent need for comprehensive treatment options. Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center has successfully secured a grant to increase our opioid treatment capacity.”

Leon Guerrero said a big part of the war on fentanyl is education and prevention.

“That is why I am directing the Guam Center for Behavioral Health and Wellness, the Department of Youth Affairs and PBS (Guam) to partner with the (Guam Department of Education) and launch the ‘One Pill Can Kill’ campaign. This initiative will aggressively target our public and private schools to ensure students starting in middle school understand the deadly risks associated with fentanyl,” the governor said.

Leon Guerrero also promised new laws to punish those who sell deadly drugs onto the streets.

“Like the bill our Legislature just passed, explicitly punishes convicted drug kingpins with decades in prison, not months or years. In addition, if someone dies because you knowingly provided them with fentanyl or a substance containing fentanyl, you are responsible for their death and you will be punished,” the governor said.

Leon Guerrero called on the community to remain vigilant and urged those struggling with addiction to seek help.

“But most importantly, let us come together as a community to protect our families, our friends and our island,” she said… PACNEWS

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