Local law enforcement work to reduce overdose deaths

CHARLESTON S.C. (WCBD)–Local law enforcement organizations are working to warn the public about the dangers of fentanyl and how it is adding to the opioid epidemic here in the Lowcountry. 

It’s a drug 50 times stronger than heroin and lethal at just two milligrams.

“Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid. It is incredibly addictive, and it’s much cheaper to make than other traditional opioids,” said Shelby Joffrion, a project coordinator for the Charleston Police Department. 

Fentanyl is deadly on its own, but it’s making its way into other opioids as well. Drugs laced with fentanyl are becoming more common, and users are often unaware. 

“My son was not a drug addict. My son was using a drug recreationally, and when he got that drug, it was laced with fentanyl, and it killed him. Had he known it was fentanyl in it, he would never have done it,” said Leisa Lawrence, the mother of an Overdose victim.

According to the Charleston police department, there were 225 suspected drug overdoses reported in 2023. In just the second week of January 2024, the Charleston police department responded to four overdoses, three of which were fatal. Now, CPD is working with state and local organizations to bring awareness to the growing problem and introduce harm-reduction strategies. 

One of the things that we were trying to do from an overdose prevention perspective was provide people with resources to understand what the issue is and to be able to test the drug supply. We’re partnering with those community distributors to not only give the folks naloxone or some type overdose reversal agent but also these fentanyl test strips,” said Michelle Nienhius, a manager of Prevention and Intervention at South Carolina Alcohol and Other Abuse Services. 

On Thursday, the Charleston police department will host a Narcan training and overdose awareness class at the Keith Summey Library in North Charleston. It will start at 6 p.m.