Roy’s Story

Voices met Jane Toscano at a Rally held in front of the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. The Rally was held to bring attention to the fact that illicit fentanyl is coming from China and killing Americans. Jane shared her story with us about her grandson Roy Toscano. Jane wants others to know that illicit fentanyl is prevalent in the United States and can cause sudden death. Jane is an inspiration to others through her continued work to warn others about the dangers of illicit fentanyl. Illicit fentanyl is being manufactured illegally and sold for its euphoric effects. Illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine are being laced with fentanyl, as are counterfeit drugs made to look like the real ones, like hydrocodone tablets or Xanax. It’s an extremely potent and rapidly fatal substitute for heroin. Fentanyl works in the brain to block pain and is in the same class of drugs as morphine or hydrocodone but is about 50 to 100 times more potent. Just 2 to 3 milligrams of this drug can lead to death. It blocks opioid receptors and its most dangerous side effect — like other opioids — is respiratory depression, which can quickly lead to coma and death. Users may not realize the street drug they are buying from a dealer contains this potentially lethal compound. Fentanyl is a drug of mass destruction.