Fentanyl Triage

Consider triage, used in medical emergencies when you have limited resources. You divide your patients into three categories:

1. people who will likely die anyway no matter what you do, or people who require such extensive treatment several other patients will die from lack of attention.
2. people you can treat and who will likely recover.
3. people who will get better on their own.

You put all your efforts into category 2.

Anyone addicted to fentanyl is in category (1). They are over dosing multiple times a day, effectively deliberately suiciding for the thrill. Even if they could be persuaded to try expensive rehab, their odds of recovery are almost nil. Any resources spent here will rarely produce results (save lives). Though it is painful to give up on people, you have to be practical and spend your dollars where they will work, not where they will merely satisfy emotions and a desire for a quick fix. Putting all your efforts on category(1) people is foolish.

My guess is the most effective measures are to scare kids silly about fentanyl, even though we won’t see immediate results.

~ Roedy (1948-02-04 age:70)