Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson recently spoke to a group of area residents about fentanyl poisoning, which was the leading cause of death nationwide in adults aged 18 to 45 in 2020 and 2021. Similar to morphine but more potent, prescription fentanyl is sold as Actiq, Duragesic, Onsolis, Instanyl, Fentora and Sublimaze.

Sheriff Henderson said the street form of fentanyl is made of “synthetic chemicals manufactured in China, taken to Mexico and assembled by the cartels and sent across the border.” County officials recently seized eight pounds of fentanyl, whose street names include Apache, China girl, China white, dance fever, TNT, Tango and Cash. Henderson noted that it only takes two milligrams (about the size of two salt granules) to overdose. Customs and Border Patrol agents confiscated enough fentanyl to kill 5 billion people in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.

According to Lieutenant Joel Gordon of the Shenandoah Police Department, over the last three years there have been at least five deaths due to fentanyl overdoses within the city’s 2.2 square miles.

Sheriff Henderson also spoke about the recent trend of mixing “tranq” (xylazine) with fentanyl to make the highs last longer. Xylazine is regularly used by veterinarians to sedate or relieve pain in animals.

Both the sheriff’s office and the city’s police department have designated officers to participate in task force operations focused on the issue. Residents who would like more information have an opportunity to meet area law enforcement officers and first responders at the Montgomery County Safety Expo on Saturday, April 8 from 11 am to 2 pm at Woodforest Bank Stadium. The event is hosted by the Shenandoah Police Department and Conroe ISD Police.