Health officials in Vermont say that when someone dies of a drug overdose in the state, they fully expect it to involve the synthetic drug fentanyl. Fentanyl-related overdoses continue to rise, both in Vermont and nationwide. And reports about the potency and danger of fentanyl also continue to proliferate.
Some police officers in Vermont say they're worried about potential exposure to the drug. There have been concerns that getting fentanyl on your skin, or breathing it in in the air could cause an accidental overdose in first responders or bystanders. But that's very unlikely.
Chris Bell, Vermont's director of public health preparedness, joined Vermont Edition to explain more.
Broadcast live on Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2018 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
