INTERVIEW: Overdose Awareness Day

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Wednesday, August 31, is International Overdose Awareness Day. It’s an annual, worldwide campaign to end overdose deaths, remember -- without stigma -- those who died, and acknowledge the grief felt by family and friends who’ve lost loved ones.

Jeff Stumbras, executive director of Libertas Treatment Center and Addiction Treatment Center joined Action 2 News at 4:30 anchor Chris Roth to discuss the worsening problem.

A key element is fentanyl, a tranquilizer that’s being added to drugs. A dose as small as 2 milligrams is likely fatal. A suspect in two overdose deaths in Grand Chute is charged with delivering fentanyl, and Brown County is about to declare fentanyl a community health crisis.

We hear about death numbers, but Stumbras talks about what Libertas is seeing at the rehab level, how hard it is to kick an addiction, and whether an addict can be considered fortunate if they even have a chance to attempt it.

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