Like many other states, we face a drug abuse problem. In Oklahoma, we have a serious drug problem. Many of our residents suffer from serious addictions to prescription drugs, marijuana, fentanyl, and more.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with fentanyl, it is one of the most powerful drugs out there. Its original purpose was to help treat people with severe pain issues, especially those with cancer or life-threatening trauma.
However, in a fallen world, many things that are done for good are often distorted for evil.
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, “From 2019 to 2022, fentanyl overdose deaths increased 12-fold, from 50 in 2019 to 609 in 2022. More than four in five opioid-related overdose deaths in 2022 involved fentanyl, compared to approximately 10-20 percent per year prior to 2020. Prior to 2020, Oklahoma was seeing an increase in illegally manufactured fentanyl overdose deaths, but not to the same extent as other states.” These numbers are only going to increase as the drug gets into the hands of more people across the state.
You may wonder why the drug is so powerful. According to the DEA, it is about 100 times more potent as a painkiller than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, and 42 percent of pills tested for fentanyl contained at least 2 mg of fentanyl, which is considered a lethal dose. Drug traffickers typically distribute fentanyl by the kilogram. One kilogram of fentanyl can kill 500,000 people.
Anyone can accidentally take a pill without knowing it contains fentanyl, or anyone can take a pill knowing it contains fentanyl but not knowing that it is a lethal dose.
The devastating effects of fentanyl are easy for those with knowledge to understand, but why should Oklahoma Baptists be concerned about this issue? The answer is really simple: those being exposed to these deadly drugs are our church members, our families, our friends, people created in the image of God.
As a pastor and minister, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects fentanyl has on the human body and mind just this year. I have seen lives lost, families separated, and funerals held. With each time I have counseled individuals and families with fentanyl-related issues, it has become increasingly clear that ongoing awareness is necessary to effectively guide individuals and families struggling with this serious addiction.
In the face of this tragedy, local churches have a real opportunity to embrace the brokenness of this world and serve those directly affected by fentanyl in their time of great need. I have seen firsthand what an impact the local church can have, no matter how big this epidemic is. I have seen the Lord Jesus Christ do amazing things.
The real and lasting solution to this problem, and to any sin problem, is the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are also many different ministries and agencies in Oklahoma that want to help those struggling with drug addiction. Here are some helpful resources I have found available online:
After all, God calls us to be a light in the darkness, and to be a light in this epidemic of addiction, we must first find ways to share the good news that Jesus Christ saves us not only from the penalty of sin and death, but also from all addictions.
