Opioids & Fentanyl 101
Opioids, specifically fentanyl, are devastating families and crippling communities.
Retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent/Resident Agent in Charge Brian Townsend (bio) developed this presentation to raise awareness and provoke discussion of the opioid crisis. This presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of the opioid crisis. From the history of opioids to how drug traffickers use social media and the dark web, this program will raise your awareness and help you understand what is happening throughout the United States and why the drug landscape has forever changed. This presentation was originally designed for first responders (police, fire, etc.) but has been popular with many other audiences to include parents, various community and business leaders, school administrators, teachers, counselors, nurses, social workers, and the treatment and prevention community. Opioids continue to poison our communities and Brian’s hope is to educate people and save lives. *** This presentation was not designed for students; however, I do drug education in schools covering opioids, marijuana, vaping, etc. Please email me for more information. |
Outline
- Introduction - My background (LEO/DEA Special Agent)
- Drug Deaths - The numbers, the problem
- Types of Opioids - Natural, semi-synthetic, synthetic
- Opioids - What they do, how they work
- Tolerance, Dependance, & Addiction/Opioid Use Disorder - Dope sick
- History - Opioids have been around for thousands of years...
- Catalyst – Big Pharma, Misinformation, Pain Management & OxyContin
- A Wave of Addiction - What happened in the mid-1990s and how it changed everything
- Illicit Fentanyl - What it is and what it does
- Fentanyl Replaces Heroin
- Dangers - Only 2mg is a lethal dose
- Counterfeit Pills - One Pill Can Kill
- Drug Landscape - Experimental and casual drug use has forever changed
- Drug Use & Young People
- Exposure/Dispel Myths - Just being around fentanyl will NOT make you overdose!
- Opioid Overdose - Recognizing opioid poisoning
- Good Samaritan Laws - Help without fear of liability
- Naloxone (Narcan) - What it is, what it does (test kits)
- China - Main source for fentanyl and precursor chemicals
- Mexican Drug Cartels - Sinaloa & CJNG
- US/Mexico Border - How drugs are brought into the US
- Prices/Names - Fentanyl prices and drug slang
- Social Media - Social media and drug trafficking
- Dark Web Markets - A glimpse of the scary place you were warned about...
- Synthetics/Novel Psychoactive Substances - The future of drugs
- Treatments - Methadone, Buprenorphine, Naltrexone
- Trends - Xylazine (Zombie/Tranq Dope)
- Question & Answer Session
- Action - What can we do? Drug Use is Preventable
- Resources
- Conclusion
What People Are Saying
"Very eye opening" | "The information and manner it was presented in, was exceptional and applicable across various disciplines." | "Very well put together." | "I highly suggest that this class be taught inside of the --- Criminal Justice Academy. While going through the academy there were courses about drugs and response. But no class went into depth that Brian went to. Phenomenal course, learned a lot." | "20 years as a LEO and I have never heard a more comprehensive overview of drugs." | "Great training - like the movement through time, the historical aspect." | "It's an excellent course with a knowledgable instructor who knows his audience well." | "Every officer in my department needs to hear this." | "The best presentation on opioids I've ever heard." | "Brian is a great instructor who is clearly passionate about helping people" | "Every police academy in the US needs to bring you in and hear this" | "I love your passion!" | "Loved it!" | "Solid presentation" | "Well put together" | "One of the better classes I've participated in. The amount of talking, slides and videos were equally balanced. The information was made relevant to our state which is fantastic" | "I like that he talks specifically about my state" | "Brian is an expert who knows his stuff" | "Knowledgeable. Experienced. Relatable." | "This presentation was phenomenal!" | "This was extremely interesting" | "Finally an instructor that doesn't read from the screen!" | "Brian was knowledgeable and passionate about the content he provided" | "The most comprehensive overview of opioids I've ever heard" | "Fantastic block of training" | "Informative and consistent" | "Very helpful!" | "Brian is a great presenter, and this is a great class!" | "Great information" | "Brian did an excellent job" | "Very good and easy to follow" | "Great instructor with a lot of knowledge" | I want my kids to hear this" | "Excellent presentation" | "I learned so much, thank you!" | "Great class and very professional instruction" | "Very informative" | "Very comprehensive" | "Great mix of charts, texts, and media" | "Outstanding!" | "Should be provided to all parents" | "Learned so much about the history and Brian made it interesting"
Upcoming Schedule
- October 2, 2023 - Wheeling, Illinois - Wheeling PD (LE/Private)
- October 3, 2023 - Rockford, Illinois - Rockford PD (LE/Private)
- October 4, 2023 - McFarland, Wisconsin - McFarland PD (LE/Private)
- October 5, 2023 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - North Central HIDTA (LE/Private)
- October 6, 2023 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - North Central HIDTA (LE/Private)
- November 8, 2023 - MO/Private
- November 13, 2023 - Independence, Missouri - Blue Springs PD (LE/Private)
- December 4, 2023 - WI/TBA
- December 5, 2023 - WI/TBA
- December 6, 2023 - Montello, Wisconsin - Marquette County SO (LE/Private)
- December 7, 2023 - WI/TBA
- December 8, 2023 - WI/TBA
Total presentations completed (Oct 2022 - present): 27
States: Missouri (15), Kansas (3), Maine (3), Virginia (2), Oklahoma (1), Michigan (1), & North Carolina (1), Florida (1)
Past conferences:
- Joplin, MO Prescription Misuse & Fentanyl Awareness Town Hall
- Kansas Narcotics Officers Association
- Illinois National Guard Counterdrug Program Annual Training
- Missouri National Guard Counterdrug Program Annual Training
- MOCIC 43rd Annual Training Conference
Past sponsors:
- Alexandria, VA Sheriff's Office
- Blue Springs, MO Police Department
- Cape Elizabeth, ME Police Department
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg, NC Police Department
- Fairfax County, VA Fire & Rescue Department
- Fernandina Beach, FL Police Department
- Kansas City, MO Police Department
- Northwest Missouri Law Enforcement Foundation
...with many more agencies in attendance.
Law Enforcement - Credit/Certification
This training is POST certified under "Technical Studies" in Missouri, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
Let me know if your state requires certification and we will submit the paperwork.
Let me know if your state requires certification and we will submit the paperwork.
Contact
For more information, contact Brian at Brian@eagle6training.com or use the contact form.