Teen overdose deaths have gone up exponentially in the last few years, a trend that many experts blame on the synthetic opioid called fentanyl. Illicit fentanyl is often mixed into other drugs like heroin or fashioned into pills. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention even small doses of fentanyl can be lethal. Teens and other users typically do not know the drugs they are using include this potentially deadly addition.
The George Washington University has experts available to comment on many aspects of the overdose and fentanyl crisis. To schedule an interview or request more information, please contact GW Media at [email protected].
Monica Ruiz, an associate professor of prevention and community health at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, can talk about addiction treatment and harm reduction efforts aimed at keeping people with substance use disorders safe.
Tony Roberson, an associate professor and director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program at the GW School of Nursing, is an expert on adolescent psychiatric mental health and substance abuse and addictions. Additionally, Roberson has previously collaborated with the Veterans Administration, particularly in meeting the psychiatric mental health needs of those veterans who reside in rural areas, and he has extensive clinical and research expertise within the juvenile justice system.
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