One Pill Kills

With an 80% increase in synthetic opioid-related deaths reported in Texas in 2021 compared to 2020, the deadly fentanyl crisis is endangering Texans of all ages. The Texas Workforce Commission, in collaboration with the Office of the Governor and other Texas state agencies, is committed to raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl. Our goal is to develop and share resources with our customers to help end the opioid crisis and fight fentanyl use in the Lone Star State.

• One in four Texans have experienced an opioid overdose or know someone who has.
• Fentanyl is an opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and may be mixed with other substances and counterfeit (fake) pills. Even in small doses, as few as two milligrams, fentanyl can cause a life-threatening overdose or be lethal.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published provisional data from 2021 that shows about 66 percent of opioid-related deaths in Texas involve synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (Ahmad et al., 2022). 
• Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including fentanyl. If you or someone you know is at risk for opioid overdose, carry naloxone and keep it at home.