Law enforcement and experts say even as opioid prescriptions are falling, opioid overdose deaths are on the rise.  

What You Need To Know

  • Lindsay Bettis is on a mission to help others recover from drug addiction

  • Bettis' father struggled with substance abuse

  • Fentanyl is one of the most potent opioids 

Outreach coordinator for Advanced Recovery Systems Lindsay Bettis talked with Spectrum News 13 as she stopped at Orlando Health’s South Lake Hospital Friday to meet with case managers about addition recovery services they provide. 

Helping people recover from substance abuse is personal for her. “I grew up in a family with substance abuse, it’s something that my father struggled with pretty much all my life,” she said. 

She’s made it her career to help others recover from drug addiction. Because she says her family needed so much support growing up, she says she know how wonderful it can feel to have a family member recover from drug addiction. 

“Being able to give back the gift of recovery that gave me my own family and father back is something that I’d love to help a lot of people with," she said. 

But Bettis says many people now are not getting a chance to recover, thanks to a deadly trend. “What we see now is illicit fentanyl laced in almost every type of pill, every type of drug out there,” Bettis said. 

Fentanyl is one of the most potent opioids out there, which means many people are dying of overdoses when they didn’t even know they were taking opioids. 

Orlando Police confirmed this is happening at a press conference Friday. They're charging a dealer with first degree murder after he allegedly sold Fentanyl to three men who wanted cocaine and later died from an overdose. 

 

And Bettis said she’s heard from clients where their child thought they were trying a minor drug once at a party and was killed almost instantly when it turned out to be laced with Fentanyl. "Its absolutely terrifying because most of the doses that you’ll see of Fentanyl for a lot of people who don’t have tolerance, it’s a lethal dose,”  Bettis said. 

That’s why she says her work is more important now than ever and says that if you or someone you know needs help, don’t wait, because you don’t know what else could be in that drug. 

She says if you or someone you know needs help with drug addiction, you can call them at 855-549-5518 or visit their website. 

You can also call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).