SPRINGTOWN — On Saturday, Feb. 8, We Are Our Brother’s Keeper and Clearfork Academy hosted an educational event called “Focus on Fentanyl” to spread awareness about the dangers of fentanyl use and how to reverse an overdose with the use of Narcan.
Jessica Castro, founder of We Are Our Brother’s Keeper, and Mike Carter, Clearfork Academy alumni relations manager, hosted the event for anyone who has been affected by fentanyl use or simply wanted to become more educated about the subject.
Clearfork Academy is a drug and alcohol rehab center for teens in Texas. Before Carter became affiliated with Clearfork Academy, he took prescription pain killers for 36 years.
“When I was 20, I was crushed between a truck and I was on a bike and it started that process,” Carter said. “And once your brain becomes addicted, you make a living off the pain of other folks.”
Carter talked about how he deals with the stress of life and physical pain in a healthy way now.
“Through meditation, through breathing techniques and things like that,” Carter said. “That’s what I always do to relieve stress.”
Carter also spoke to how the government became involved in prescription drug use.
“Do you all remember when the federal government kind of took control of prescription pain killers?” Carter asked. “In 2014, 2016 the government started taking control of prescription pain killers. That’s when the pain clinics started.”
According to the CDC, the number of opioids prescribed in the United States peaked in 2010 and then decreased. But despite reductions, the number of opioids prescribed remains approximately three times as high as in 1999.
Carter then spoke to just how small the dose is to kill someone using fentanyl.
“Ten to 15 grains of salt or sugar is a lethal dose,” Carter said. “Fentanyl is robbing us of our young people. It’s robbing us of our family members.”
Carter warned the audience to warn family and friends not to let anyone take pills given to them, outside of prescribed medication from your doctor, as they could be lased with fentanyl.
“Our young people are not afraid of that,” Carter said. “That’s what’s scary to me. They think they’re invincible. They think ‘It will never happen to me, I’m smarter than everybody else.’ No, you don’t know that the pill was made in an open-air area in Mexico.”
Castro says this event marks an important moment in the community “Yesterday marked a pivotal moment in our mission to empower communities, as we kicked off our 2025 speaker series with the fentanyl education class, a vital resource for fostering resilience and hope,” Castro said.
Castro will be hosting monthly classes to explore difficult topics surrounding addiction.
“Our monthly classes will tackle a range of pressing topics, beginning with fentanyl education, as we strive to build a more informed, compassionate and supportive community.”
Castro hopes that by not just educating the community about the dangers of fentanyl but also sharing personal stories like Carter’s, it will help others develop a deeper understanding with this issue.
“By exploring the complexities of fentanyl and its far-reaching impact, we can cultivate a deeper understanding and empathy for those affected,” Castro said. “Through this series, we aim to unite individuals, promote education and inspire collective action, reinforcing the notion that together, we can drive meaningful change.”
To learn more about We Are Our Brother’s Keeper, visit its Facebook page. To learn more about Clearfork Academy, visit www.clearforkacademy. com.
If you or anyone you know are struggling with fentanyl or any drug addiction, contact the Texas Substance Abuse and Drug Addiction Hotline at 866-210-1303.
Residents in the Springtown area listen to the dangerous effects of fentanyl.
Carter shared statistics about the staggering amounts of fentanyl that are pouring into the U.S.
