08/21/2026
August 21 is National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.
Established in 2022, this day honors the lives lost to overdoses involving illegally made fentanyl, remembering that behind every statistic is a person: someone's child, sibling, parent, or friend. ๐ฏ๏ธ
Here's what everyone should know:
๐น Fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S. and even a tiny amount can be fatal
๐น Counterfeit pills often contain illegally made fentanyl, and you can't tell just by looking
๐น Fentanyl is frequently mixed into other drugs like co***ne, m**h, and xylazine, often without the person's knowledge
๐ก๏ธ How you can take action and save lives:
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Carry naloxone (Narcanยฎ) and keep it at home
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Use fentanyl test strips (remember, no test is 100% accurate)
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Never take pills that weren't prescribed to you by a pharmacy
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Avoid mixing substances, and never use alone
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Know the signs of an overdose and how to respond
This year's theme centers on hope and mental health, a reminder that recovery is possible, treatment works, and no one has to face substance use alone.
๐ CT 24/7 Access Line: 1-800-563-4086
๐ Learn more & take action: cdc.gov/stop-overdose