The Elks community is a strong advocate against drugs being sold or given to our youth. Our Drug Awareness Program (DAP) leadership, Kent Gade, has informed all the lodges throughout the US, that one in every four drugs being sold on the streets today has been laced with fentanyl and is deadly. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is 80-100 times stronger than morphine and was created to treat patients with chronic severe pain or severe pain following surgery. Fentanyl is a Schedule II controlled substance and because of its potency and low cost, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with other drugs, including but not limited to: heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, increasing the likelihood of a fatal interaction. Just 825 mg (.030 oz) is all it takes for a loved one to die of drug poisoning. As of Jan. 1st, of this year, there have been 100,000 deaths caused by fentanyl/drug poisoning. Kent Gade estimates that by year’s end there will be at least one family member who knows someone who died of drug poisoning. This emergency crises needs to be eradicated at the local level. Every Elk lodge throughout the U.S. is planning to hold drug awareness events in-order-to address this crisis. To read more about what our DAP does, please go to our National Elks website: Elks.org/DAP.