By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — According to the Centers for Disease Control, the illegal use of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is on the rise in the United States. Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.
Barton County Sheriff Brian Bellendir said he and other sheriffs are seeing how dangerous the illegal drug can be.
“Now we’re seeing fentanyl that is mixed with methamphetamine,” Bellendir reported. “The people buying methamphetamine don’t know they’re also taking fentanyl, so this is going to be a real problem.”
According to Bellendir, the drug creates unique challenges for law enforcement officials who are trying to stop its distribution.
“If you’re hitting a residence, just what’s laying around in there that is contaminated from use could be enough to overdose a cop whereas these users have built up such a tolerance to it, it wouldn’t bother them at all, whereas it could overdose one of my guys.”
Bellendir says his officers now carry Narcan with them when they execute search warrants. Narcan helps reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The sheriff explains why he believes the illegal use of fentanyl has skyrocketed.
“Fentanyl is cheap,” Bellendir commented. “All these drugs are coming from the southern border. Until we get control of that border, we’re not going to get control of this drug problem. We probably never will get control of the drug problem as long as there is demand. We’re being flooded with fentanyl and methamphetamine coming out of Mexico. And it’s where it’s all coming from now.”
Bellendir notes that he hasn't seen a meth lab in Barton County for more than 15 years. He says drug dealers find it cheaper, less dangerous and easier to elude law enforcement if it is purchased from a source in Mexico.