'Hey Marin: WTF?': North Bay county starts new fentanyl awareness campaign to combat opioid crisis

ByCornell Barnard KGO logo
Sunday, November 19, 2023
Marin County starts new fentanyl awareness campaign
Marin County started a new fentanyl awareness campaign to bring attention to the local effects of the growing opioid epidemic.

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- A new campaign is targeting the dangers of fentanyl in Marin County.

This as President Joe Biden met with Mexico's president on the last day of APEC to talk about the Fentanyl crisis facing the two countries.

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In the North Bay, a new eye-catching ad campaign is targeting the dangers of Fentanyl in Marin County. This is as President Joe Biden met with Mexico's president on the last day of APEC to talk about the Fentanyl crisis facing the two countries.

Officials are hoping the new campaign helps bring awareness to the situation.

It's a new eye-catching ad campaign, which asks the question, "Hey Marin: WTF? Where's The Fentanyl?"

The answer is everywhere.

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"It happens from mansions to encampments and everywhere in between," said Anita Renzetti from OD Free Marin.

Renzetti says the new campaign, appearing online and in person, was launched by nonprofits and Marin County. It's designed to be big, bold and provocative to help break the myth that fentanyl isn't a problem here.

"We're trying to reduce the stigma around addiction and substance abuse. If we don't do that, we can't tackle this. Parents are like, 'That would never be my kid,'" Renzetti said.

"I think that's why it's red. We want to stop and look at the campaign," said Lucia Ramirez from Marin Health and Human Services

Ramirez helped produce videos targeting young people. Some clips challenge young people to spot a real pill from one laced with fentanyl.

MORE: 'Taking action': North Bay teen launches awareness campaign on fentanyl dangers

County officials say accidental overdoses kill someone every nine days in Marin. On average, overdose has become the leading cause of death for people aged 55 and under.

"We want people to be aware and start using Narcan," Ramirez said.

OD Free Marin provides free Narcan spray to reverse the effects of fentanyl.

On Friday, Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador talked about the fentanyl crisis facing both countries at the APEC summit.

MORE: CA families, united by grief, introduce ballot initiative to punish fentanyl dealers

Ramirez believes high-profile chats like this will help raise awareness.

"I think the issue will persist if we don't start talking about it, and that's step one," she said.

Calling out a killer is the next goal.

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