Here in Wallowa County, the use of a deadly prescription drug is on the rise at alarming rates.

A synthetic opioid called fentanyl, which is 50-100 times more potent than the painkiller morphine, has made its way with a vengeance to our beautiful, remote community. Although stimulant drug use has been the most profound and obvious here in the past, opiate drug use is on the rise. And while you may be thinking that we don’t have that problem here in our little farming community, Kimberly Botts, who is a Peer Support Specialist with Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness, assures you that there is a problem. She is seeing many abuses of methamphetamines and opiate drugs in Wallowa County. Local crisis workers, medical first-responders and law enforcement are also seeing the effects. There are more 911 calls and ER visits, higher arrest rates and domestic violence situations as well as a significant increase in drug overdoses.

One recent problem is fentanyl being laced in methamphetamines. Overdoses are much more likely to happen when this occurs. Kimberly stated that she has also seen an uptick in the use of “pressies” or “little blue pills.” These pills are made to look like OxyContin, yet they are not; they are pure fentanyl, which can kill you if eaten.

“Opiates do not discriminate. Addiction does not always ‘look’ a certain way, or ‘act’ a certain way,” Kimberly stated. At one time she had an addiction problem herself, starting in 1994, with a back injury and a prescription of Vicodin. At that time, there were not the tight regulations in place as there are today, regarding how much or how often someone could receive pain prescriptions. At the end of her addiction, Kimberly was prescribed 100 Vicodin and 100 OxyCodone a month, yet it was still not enough to satisfy the “skeleton in the closet,” so to speak, which was her growing tolerance and growing addiction happening simultaneously. Sadly, this is how many people begin a drug addiction. Then it spirals out of control when a doctor will no longer prescribe the medication needed to maintain the cravings and triggers opiates can cause. This can lead to illegal buying of prescriptions opioids and also to buying heroin.

“Addicts are people, too. We have feelings, thoughts and desires, just the same as anyone else,” said one of Kimberly’s clients, who is currently working their way to recovery with Kimberly’s help. Not all addicts are criminals. Many of the people who commit crimes to support their habits will no longer commit those crimes once abstinence is achieved.

So, what can be done? There are now Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Peer Support services available in the tri-county area serving Wallowa, Union and Baker counties. A Substance Use Disorder Certified Recovery mentor or peer support specialist is an addict who has been in recovery for at least two years and has the training and experience to help others become successful through recovery by using their own personal experiences to help those they serve reach their own recovery. Peer support specialists can also help in reducing barriers to recovery (transportation, lack of food, shelter, education, employment and support meetings) and also provide information and referrals to additional community resources.

The good news. We have a peer support specialist in Wallowa County — Kimberly Botts. She is here to help others in their recovery.

One form of harm reduction being put into place in Wallowa County and with Kimberly’s support is the use of Narcan (otherwise known as naloxone) distribution. Narcan reverses an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opiates on the brain and by restoring breathing. This allows the person to be revived, no longer be unconscious and harm them in any way. Then, with the support of treatment services and peer support, people can reach addiction recovery and stop using drugs completely. (For more information on harm reduction visit harmreduction.org.)

On Friday, Dec. 10, Wallowa Valley Center for Wellness is hosting a free Narcan drive-thru event to provide anyone at risk of opioid overdose, or friends and families of anyone who might be at risk for opioid overdose. During this event, people can discreetly drive through and be handed Narcan and naloxone, as well as lots of other harm-reduction materials such as Band-aids and gauze wrap. This event will take place at the Hearts for Health Integrated Care Center on 606 Medical Parkway in Enterprise from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, please call Kimberly Botts at 541-398-0997.

There will also be a Narcan drive-thru event on Dec. 14 from 3-5 p.m. in Baker City at New Directions Northwest, 3425 13th St.