The Grand Junction Police Department has partnered with the Facing Fentanyl organization to bring awareness to the increase of carfentanil in our community. Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid so potent, it has become a growing threat to public health and safety across the Western Slope.
Detectives with the Western Colorado Drug Task Force are seeing a disturbing trend: an increase of illicit carfentanil, a substance 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Even a tiny amount, smaller than a grain of salt, can be deadly.
Carfentanil is not approved for human consumption. The drug was originally developed as a tranquilizer for large animals like elephants, and its infiltration into illegal drug markets is proving to be extremely dangerous. The drug is frequently mixed into other drugs or disguised in counterfeit pills which mimic prescription medications like oxycodone.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigations has positively identified the presence of carfentanil in illicit pills that previously contained only fentanyl. In March 2025 alone, detectives with the Western Colorado Drug Task Force responded to four overdose deaths believed to be linked to carfentanil and fentanyl. The emergence of this powerful drug in Western Colorado, coupled with the rising trend, is cause for concern. Law enforcement officers, paramedics, and laboratory personnel now face increased risk, as carfentanil can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled, depending on its form. It has been found in various forms, including pills, powder, spray, patches, and paper.
Facing Fentanyl, a trademarked subsidiary of Voices for Awareness Foundation which is headquartered in Grand Junction, Colorado, is a passionate advocate for prevention, education, and policy change. It’s Founder and Executive Director, Andrea Thomas, knows the devastating cost of the opioid crisis firsthand. In 2018, her 32-year-old daughter lost her life to fentanyl. Since then, Thomas has worked to ensure that no other family has to suffer the same heartbreak without knowing the dangers.
“This drug does not discriminate,” said Thomas. “This crisis is happening in our neighborhoods, our schools, and our homes. It’s everywhere.”
The Grand Junction Police Department encourages everyone to learn the signs of overdose, understand the risks of fentanyl, and have open conversations with loved ones about the dangers of illicit drugs. For more information on the dangers of synthetic opioids, visit DEA.gov. To learn more about Facing Fentanyl and their work to educate families, visit Fentanyl Awareness & Education | Grand Junction, CO | Facing Fentanyl.
View the GJPD & Facing Fentanyl public service announcement video here.