If you or someone you know is experiencing an overdose emergency, call 911 immediately.

You can't see fentanyl. You can know the risk.

Today's street drugs aren't what they appear to be, and knowing what they actually contain is the first step to protecting yourself and the people you love.

Call 540-885-0866 (24/7 Crisis)
See Local Resources

Safe storage of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication is one of the first steps in preventing stimulant addiction and misuse.

Prescription stimulants can include ADHD and depression medications.

The Center for Disease Control recommends storing medicines up, away, and out of sight.

Learn More


It is important to safely and securely lock away medications. Watch the lock box demo from Lock and Talk.

Watch Here

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid; a lab-made painkiller. In a hospital, fentanyl is one of the most useful tools doctors have. On the street, illicitly made fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose deaths in Virginia and the nation. Both forms exist, and they are not the same thing.

Fentanyl is roughly 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. A dose as small as 2 milligrams (the size of a few grains of salt) can be fatal.
PRESCRIBED FENTANYL
Manufactured under FDA oversight. Used in hospitals and hospice for severe pain or anesthesia. Comes in patches, lozenges, sprays, and IV form under brand names including Duragesic, Sublimaze, Actiq, and Subsys. Safe when taken exactly as a doctor prescribes.
ILLICITLY MADE FENTANYL (IMF)
Made in unregulated foreign labs and trafficked into the U.S. No quality control. No way to know the dose. Mixed into other drugs, pressed into fake pills, sometimes sold as heroin. This is the form driving the overdose crisis.

This is affecting our community.

Overdose deaths in Virginia are falling, and that progress comes from people like you. Neighbors carrying naloxone. Families locking up medications. Friends having honest conversations.
Here's why that work matters, and how to keep it going.
3rd of 40
The Valley CSB region ranks third for the highest number of fatal overdoses involving methamphetamine (2020–2022).
59.7%
of fatal Virginia meth overdoses in 2024 also involved fentanyl. Most people didn't know it was there.
7 Virginians per day
died of drug overdose, on average, in 2023. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were responsible for 69% of all 2024 drug overdose deaths in the state.
If you live in this region, you may know someone affected.

Everything below is something you can do about it, starting today.
47,000,000+
fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills
seized by the DEA in 2025 alone; enough lethal doses to kill every American more than once.
5 in 10
fake pills carry a lethal dose
based on DEA lab testing of seized counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
2 mg
is enough to kill.
About what fits on the tip of a sharpened pencil. Smaller than the edge of a dime.

HIDDEN IN THE MIX

Fentanyl is now mixed into drugs that aren’t opioids.

It’s cheap to produce, easy to add, and impossible to see. Fentanyl has been found in cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine, and counterfeit prescription pills sold as Adderall, Xanax, Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet.

Most people who overdose on fentanyl don’t know they took it.

REAL OR REPLICA

Fake pills are made to look like real medicine.

Counterfeit pills are mass-produced with the imprints, colors, and shapes of real prescription medications, then sold online and in person to people who believe they're buying the real thing. In 2025 DEA lab testing, about half of seized counterfeit pills contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
Man looking up
Woman with arms raised in air
If a friend offers you a pill at a party, that pill may not be what they think it is.

The only way to know is to test.

Fentanyl test strips are inexpensive paper strips that detect fentanyl and most fentanyl analogs in minutes. No test is perfect and false negatives happen, but test strips save lives. In Virginia, they're legal to possess and free from many local programs.
STEP 1
Get a test strip
Fentanyl test strips can be ordered online or picked up free from harm-reduction programs and many pharmacies. See “Where to get them” below.
STEP 2
Dissolve a small sample of the drug in water
A small sample (about a match-head’s worth) in a teaspoon of water. For pills, crush a portion first.
STEP 3
Dip the wavy end of the strip in the water for 15 seconds
Hold it just up to the line marked on the strip. Don’t go past it.
STEP 4
Lay the strip flat for 2–5 minutes, then read
The result will appear as one line, two lines, or no lines. See the key below.
‍
RESULTS
One Line
FENTANYL DETECTED.
Do not use. Discard safely.
Two Lines
No fentanyl detected. Still proceed with caution. False negatives happen, especially with newer fentanyl analogs. Never use alone, and have naloxone within reach.
Invalid
The test is invalid.
‍Try again with a new strip.
WHERE TO GET THEM IN OUR REGION
Free or low-cost sources for residents of Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta, and Highland counties:
1. Virginia Department of Health REVIVE! training events (free strips often distributed).
2. DanceSafe.org — reputable national source for purchase online.
IS THIS LEGAL IN VIRGINIA?
Yes. Fentanyl test strips are legal in Virginia.
Virginia HB 791, enacted February 28, 2020, specifically excludes fentanyl test strips from the state’s drug paraphernalia law. You can legally possess and use them.

You can save a life. Here's how.

Naloxone (brand name Narcan) is a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose in minutes. It's sold over the counter with no prescription needed, and in our region you can get it free through REVIVE! training and many local pharmacies.
5-STEP RESPONSE CARD
If someone may be overdosing:
  1. Check for signs. Slow or stopped breathing, unresponsive, blue or grey lips, gurgling.
  2. Call 911. Stay on the line. Virginia’s Good Samaritan Law protects you.
  3. Give naloxone. Hold the spray with your thumb on the plunger. Insert the nozzle into either nostril. Press the plunger firmly. One device = one dose.
  4. Support breathing. Lay the person on their side (recovery position). If trained, give rescue breaths.
  5. Stay until help arrives. If they don’t respond in 2–3 minutes, give a second dose. Even after they wake up, keep watching because fentanyl can outlast naloxone.
SIGNS OF AN OVERDOSE CHECKLIST
Watch for any of these:
  • Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
  • Limp body, unresponsive to voice or sternum rub
  • Pale, blue, or grey skin
    • Especially lips and fingertips
  • Choking, gurgling, or snoring sounds (not normal sleep)
  • Pinpoint pupils
VIRGINIA GOOD SAMARITAN NOTE

Virginia’s Good Samaritan Law (Va. Code § 18.2-251.03) protects you from being charged for simple drug possession when you call 911 to report an overdose in good faith. Calling for help is the right thing to do, and the law backs you up.
FREE NARCAN IN OUR REGION
How to get free Narcan locally:
  • Valley Community Services Board
    • Call 540-887-3200 to request kits and training.
  • REVIVE! training
    • Free 1-hour course
    • Participants leave with a Narcan kit.
    • Register at the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services site.
  • Local pharmacies
    • Most CVS, Walgreens, and independent pharmacies in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County stock Narcan over the counter.
    • Many will dispense it free under Virginia’s standing order if you ask.

Lock it. Drop it.

Most people who misuse prescription medication get it from a family member or friend, not a stranger. That means the biggest step you can take is already in your home, and it takes less than five minutes.
Lock It.
Store all prescription medications (stimulants, opioids, anti-anxiety) up, away, and out of sight. The CDC recommends a locked container or medication safe for any home with teens or visitors.

Valley Community Services Board, in partnership with Lock and Talk Virginia, distributes free medication lock pouches and lock boxes to residents of Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta, and Highland counties.

Request a free pouch:  beginwithhope.org  |  540-887-3200
Drop It.
Don’t keep medications you no longer need. Drop them in a regional medication drop box often located at police stations and pharmacies. Drop boxes are anonymous, and accept all unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medications.


‍Drop boxes do not accept syringes, sharps, illegal drugs, or biohazard materials.

Find a drop box near you (interactive map below).

Store locator is loading from StoreRocket Store Locator App..

Fentanyl FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions
Can fentanyl harm me by touch?
No. The CDC, the American College of Medical Toxicology, and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology have all confirmed that brief skin contact with fentanyl is not dangerous. You cannot overdose by being near it or touching it.
Read More>
How do I talk to my teenager about counterfeit pills?
Be direct. Tell them: pills bought from anyone except a pharmacy can contain fentanyl, even if they look exactly like real medication. Tell them about the One Pill Can Kill campaign. Tell them you’re not asking whether they use; you’re asking them to know what could be in something a friend offers them.

SAMHSA recommends multiple short conversations, not one big one.
Read More>
What if my child is prescribed Adderall or another stimulant?
Prescribed stimulants taken as directed are safe and effective for ADHD and narcolepsy. The risk is when they’re shared. Most people who misuse prescription stimulants get them from family or peers (FDA, 2023). Lock the bottle, count the pills, and talk openly with your child about not sharing them.
Read More>
Is naloxone safe to give if I’m not sure it’s an opioid overdose?
Yes. Naloxone only acts on opioid receptors. If the person is overdosing on something else, it won’t hurt them. If they are, it can save their life. When in doubt, give it.
I’ve used opioids in the past and I’m worried. What should I do?
You aren’t alone, and there’s no shame in calling. Valley Community Services Board’s prevention and treatment services are confidential. Call 540-887-3200 during business hours, or 540-885-0866 anytime for emergency support.
Need additional help?
Contact Valley Community Services Board
Next Page: Opioid Awareness
ABOUT VCSB

Valley Community Services Board
85 Sanger’s Ln. Staunton, VA 24401

Main Phone Line:
540-887-3200
Emergency Services:
540-885-0866

myvalleycsb.orgFind Your Local CSB

Revive Training

NATIONAL
DrugFree.orgMethProject.orgNIDASAMHSA.gov
HOTLINES

SAMHSA’s National Helpline
A free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
1-800-662-HELP (4357)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Dial or text 988 to reach the Crisis Lifeline.

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