Dr David Allen
BY DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
DR David Allen, a renowned Bahamian psychiatrist who witnessed the horrors of the crack cocaine epidemic in the Bahamas, warned that illicit fentanyl is more dangerous and deadly after officials noted that two people have died in Grand Bahama this year with the substance in their system.
“I am here because I sense something is happening, it is here in your community,” he said during a police town meeting in Grand Bahama.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles indicated that forensic investigations confirmed that three young men had fentanyl in their systems when they died in the last six months.
Dr Allen said three deaths is a lot in a short space of time.
He said unlike cocaine, alcohol, and marijuana, a person can die in three minutes after ingesting illicit fentanyl.
“First, they get very high, then they experience euphoria, then they get sad, and then they fall asleep, but they are not sleeping, they are dying,” he said. “It is a drug you must not take.”
Officials revealed last year that since 2018, when illicit fentanyl was highlighted as a problem, there have been five overdose cases in The Bahamas.
Dr Allen noted that since 2018, about 400,000 Americans have died from the drug.
“We could get knocked out in two months,” he said. “We cannot have this; we can’t have an epidemic of fentanyl in The Bahamas –– we can’t!”
Dr Allen noted that fentanyl comes in different forms: multi-colour small pills, powders, and sprays. Many people may consume it unknowingly, he said.
“We found a pill factory, so it’s here in The Bahamas,” he ssaid.
The psychiatrist said NARCAN is the only antidote that can prevent fentanyl overdose. He believes police officers and teachers should have it.
Pathologist Dr Mandy Pedican, Inspector Latoya Mitchell, Chief Superintendent Thurston, officer in charge of the Central Detective Unit, and Chief Superintendent Collie in the Forensic Science Division were panel presenters at the town meeting at Christ the King Hall on Wednesday evening.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 3 months, 1 week ago
"three young men had fentanyl in their systems when they died in the last six months."
He's right, this is very bad. The people at greatest risk likely dont read and have no clue how this drug has ravaged the US. They get advice from their friends on how good this drug is. It would be good if they could give us some real data like were there other drugs in their system?
Next week our govt tables the marijuana bill. The first argument in favour will be how much money we could make.
Cocaine. Normans Cay. Island for sale. How much money we could make. Oban. How much money we could make. Adelaide 200 sq acres of mangroves. How much money we could make. 5000 kickback for each low cost home built. How much money we could make. Nygard. How much money we could make. Kiddie carnival shakedown. How much money we could make. Forged identity documents. How much money we could make. Let a customs shipment through without inspection. How much money we could make. Illegal gaming. How much money we could make.
The love of money is the root of all evil
carltonr61 3 months ago
In their system dies not equate to died from lung seizure and inability to breath.
carltonr61 3 months ago
The thing is that Fentanyl is approved by the FDA fir extreme pain management. Like most drugs it can be abused or misused without authorization. Most deaths are due to overdose or ignorance while experimenting thrill seeking. Public education will lead to mass public rush to feel its effects and undue curiosity then massive use.
Bonefishpete 3 months ago
Seems like Gunpowder and Lead having a far greater threat.
John 3 months ago
Most fentanyl deaths in the US start of with the victims using fentanyl as a prescription drug. But because fentanyl is so addictive, the patients turn to street drugs when they can no longer get their prescription filled. And because the drug is so powerful and so lethal, just a small overdose can be deadly. Then when fentanyl is added to cocaine, usually as a powder, it makes the substance times more powerful. So much so that the person using it may lose track of how much he had taken and can be dead within minutes of taking the first dose . The powder fentanyl also pose a threat to first offenders as police officers and EMD personnel have known to have passed out after coming in contact with patients suffering from fentanyl overdose and had to be administered NorCan. The drug in the candy like form was specifically designed to appeal to youth and have started to appear in high schools and on the club scene ( US). The obvious danger ( besides the dangerous drug itself) is if a person pops these pils while consuming alcohol or takes them not knowing what they are. There have been efforts to add fentanyl to marijuana but thankfully it was not popular or successful. And hopefully this fentanyl will not take the country by storm.
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