Federal officials are marking Friday, August 21 as National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller of the Western District of Louisiana today joined Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and community partners in observing the day to "confront the deadliest drug crisis in U.S. history. The day is dedicated to educating the public about the dangers of illicit fentanyl and honoring the lives lost to fentanyl poisoning and overdose," a release states.
“Fentanyl’s horrific effect on our communities, our families, and our friends demands that we continue increasing awareness of the threat it poses while doing everything we can to eliminate it from our society,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “It is a time for reflecting upon the harm fentanyl has caused and our need to continue the fight against it. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stands alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners in combatting this poison and dismantling the groups that peddle it in our streets. ”
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It is inexpensive, widely available, highly addictive, and distributed in a variety of forms.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 70,000 Americans died from drug overdose or poisoning in 2025. While early provisional statistics for 2026 show an encouraging decrease in mortality, fentanyl remains the leading cause of accidental drug overdose deaths in the United States.
Fentanyl trafficking is central to this serious public safety crisis. Traffickers frequently mix fentanyl with other drugs to increase addiction and profits, often without a user’s knowledge.
Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl—an amount smaller than a grain of salt—can be lethal.
National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day is an urgent call to action for individuals, families, schools, businesses, and community organizations to:
Share information about the dangers of fentanyl, fentanyl trafficking, and counterfeit pills in schools, youth associations, faith-based organizations, and other community groups.
Promote fentanyl education and informed decision‑making.
Encourage access to overdose response resources, including naloxone.
Support individuals and families affected by substance use disorders.
Participate in local awareness events and community outreach efforts.
So far in 2026, DEA has seized more than 21 million fentanyl pills and 9,970 pounds of fentanyl powder, amounting to about 239 million deadly doses. In 2025, DEA seized over 47 million fentanyl pills and nearly 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder—about 369 million potentially deadly doses — kept out of American communities.
Information and free educational resources, including the One Pill Can Kill partner toolkit and youth conversation guides, are available at DEA.gov/onepill. Louisiana citizens are encouraged to learn as much as possible about this deadly scourge and how to defend against it.
Families may also submit photographs for the Faces of Fentanyl memorial exhibit at www.dea.gov/facesoffentanyl.
By raising awareness, strengthening education, and supporting affected families, communities can help save lives and confront the ongoing fentanyl crisis.
Resources:
DEA Fentanyl Awareness: https://www.dea.gov/fentanylawareness
Prevention Toolkits: https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/toolkits/fentanyl-prevention-awareness-day.html
