MILWAUKEE — It's an epidemic that only seems to be getting worse. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the synthetic opioid fentanyl is killing about 195 Americans a day.
Desilynn Smith works as a mental health and substance abuse counselor. She understands the urgency behind this epidemic and feels that people need to be better educated and less judgmental when it comes to drug use.
"I work with people every day from January 2021 to present day. I've known like 20 people that have passed away from fentanyl poisoning," said Smith.
Smith lost her husband Hamid Abd-Al-Jabbar to a fentanyl overdose last year. It was that experience that enhanced her mission to help save lives.
"Education, let's start educating people, making them feel more comfortable, saving lives, and then really diving in," said Smith.
There were 644 drug-related deaths last year in Milwaukee, a new record. The medical examiner says the county is on pace to top that in 2022.
The last time Smith spoke with TMJ4, she got two Narcan boxes installed in businesses across the city. There are now at least two more in businesses thanks to the ongoing support of Wisconsin Voices of Recovery which supplies them.
"We're looking at high-risk areas. We let the neighborhood know, 'hey they're here,'" said Smith.
James Ferguson is the President of the Center for Family Preservation located on Teutonia Avenue. He agreed to allow the Narcan boxes into his faith-based business which also includes an addiction recovery program.
"Addiction is a force that is very strong and because many of us really don't understand it, we're likely to judge them and unfortunately people die every day because of our judgment or lack of empathy," said Ferguson.
Smith now works to get those same boxes into Milwaukee Public Schools, especially since the rainbow fentanyl that looks like candy has hit the streets. It's 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
"I reached out to 'One Pill Kills' and 'Team Havoc' (and said) 'hey what do you guys think?' They said, 'go for it, let's do it,'" said Smith.
Smith's new goal? Install at least 20 Narcan boxes in schools and 100 boxes in businesses and organizations across the city. It's a decision Ferguson doesn't regret.
"Inside this box is an ability to save somebody's life. Beyond being a business owner, just as a human being, that's a lot for me," said Ferguson.
