Fentanyl: The Hidden Threat Lurking in Your Neighborhood

At a glance

Here's what to expect:

• Dr. Peter Attia sits down with Anthony Hipolito, a sheriff's deputy, spreading awareness about accidental fentanyl overdoses.
• According to the CDC, 110,000 Americans died due to unintentional drug overdoses in 2022.
• It's crucial to talk to kids in your life about this crisis and its dangerous (and devastating) consequences.

The fentanyl crisis

This week, I am sharing through a (very) noteworthy podcast. It's titled 243 ‒ The fentanyl crisis and why everyone should be paying attention | Anthony Hipolito by Dr. Petter Attia, and it covers the devastating consequences of the impending fentanyl crisis. It's nearly an hour and fifteen minutes long, but I feel it's worth the time spent. Watch it yourself, watch it with your family, and share it with others. It's that important.

Podcast summary

"Anthony Hipolito is a sheriff’s deputy in Hays County, Texas with over 24 years of experience in law enforcement. In this episode, Anthony discusses his work to spread awareness about illicit fentanyl use and the drastic increase in accidental overdoses, especially in young people. Anthony explains the deadly nature of fentanyl, including how many counterfeit drugs are now being laced with deadly doses of fentanyl. He breaks down how fentanyl is being brought to the US and how younger and younger kids are being targeted." [Peter Attia MD]

The podcast was published about 10 months ago, but based on my recent deep dive, the data shows this issue is growing at an alarming pace. According to the CDC, 110,000 Americans died due to unintentional drug overdoses in 2022. (Note: because overdose deaths take a while to report, it's somewhat of a lagging indicator.)

Anecdotally, I was made aware within the last few months that a classmate's younger sibling passed away from an unintentional fentanyl overdose. It's a very real and growing problem, and I thoroughly feel like education goes a long way to preventing this from happening to you or someone you love.

Drop the F*bomb provides an excellent guide for talking to kids about the dangers of fentanyl. You can check it out here.

Stay safe out there.