COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - Local recovery centers in Columbus assist drug addicts daily in recovering from drug addiction. One drug showing up more than ever is concerning them...fentanyl.
News Leader 9 sat down with Mike Gaymon, the president of Valley Rescue Mission, on Thursday. The organization assists addicts in recovering healthily. Gaymon said the drug is popping up more than others lately.
"It's a health issue. It is a life and death issue, and plus it's so addictive," says Gaymon.
Fentanyl is a deadly drug, and Gaymon says he is seeing more and more people addicted.
"It's a real town issue, right here in Columbus, Georgia," says Gaymon.
He says he has been looking at the numbers, and the center is treating about 9 percent more people this year than they have in previous years.
The deadly drug is a potent synthetic opioid approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as an anesthetic to relieve pain. What concerns him and other recovery centers is there is such easy access to the drug.
"I guarantee you if you talk to most of our men and women, they will tell you, 'The town I came from? I can get it...,' because it's so readily available," says Gaymon. "Fentanyl is extremely dangerous. It's in the meth, it's in the heroin, it's in the pills, and it's very accessible," says addiction coach John Burdeshaw.
John Burdeshaw, once an addict himself, now coaches people to recovery at 'The Connection' off Veterans Parkway in Columbus.
He says more and more people are making appointments to heal from their addiction to the drug.
"We've seen a rise in addiction to fentanyl because it's in a variety of different drugs," said Burdeshaw.
They both say it is so potent it can kill on contact and is showing up more and more in young people.
"You could take enough fentanyl to be on the end of a pencil or a pen or any small object, and that little bit can kill you right away," Gaymon added.
"Kids can get ahold of it. It's in the schools and in the streets. So, it's definitely a dangerous drug," Burdeshaw noted.