FLORENCE - The dangerous synthetic opioid fentanyl is sharply increasing its prevalence in drug cases in Pinal County.

Fentanyl, which is roughly 100 times stronger than morphine, has been attributed to an uptick in opioid overdose deaths across the country in recent years. It takes a small amount to overdose and has become the drug of choice for some due to how cheap and easy it is to obtain.

"Not just in Pinal County but across the state and across the nation, we've just seen this unbelievable explosion of fentanyl and we're not immune to it," said Pinal County Attorney Kent Volkmer.

Volkmer noted the increasing prevalence of fentanyl in drug cases in Pinal County.

In 2019, less than 2% of drug-related charges involved fentanyl. In 2020, that number increased to around 11%. In 2021, the number exceeded 22%.

"We've seen a 750% increase in...charging for fentanyl," Volkmer said.

The effects of the drug are not hard to find.

"Pinal County is witnessing overall, about one overdose every single day," Volkmer said. "Not everybody is passing, but on average we see almost an overdose every day. That's tragic."

A woman who previously used fentanyl hopes her story deters anyone else from trying the drug.

"I just have a great life," said Valley resident Amanda Thompson, who has been sober for nearly two years. "If you would have asked me three years ago how my life would be I probably would have told you I'd be dead."

Thompson said she first used fentanyl by way of a guy she was dating at the time.

"At first it was just laced in the heroin we got and when we didn't get that we started smoking the [pills]," Thompson said.

Thompson was candid in sharing her story, hoping others realize the dangers of fentanyl.

"My friend diluted the pill and I snorted it...that's the last thing I remember," she said. "I woke up to being shot with Narcan, on the second shot, because I flatlined."

Thompson noted the devastating impact fentanyl has had on her life and those around her.

"I can't even tell you in the last 18 months that I've been sober how many people I've known from my past have died from fentanyl," she said. "Probably at least ten."

Thompson said during sobriety she repaired her relationship with family and is now in a much better place. She hopes her story deters others from ever trying the drug.

"Don't do it," she said. "I had my family, I had everything, and it was just, in the blink of an eye I lost it all. You can die."

Volkmer noted the problem fentanyl is causing across the country.

"That's the scariest part, there's not an easy solution," he said.

If you or someone you know needs help with opioid addiction, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a National Hotline. That number is 1-800-662-4357.

According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, there have been more than 11,500 suspected opioid deaths in the state since the Summer of 2017.

FLORENCE- Dozens of families gathered to honor and celebrate students during the 2021 Anti-Drug Poster Contest Awards Ceremony Thursday night.

More than 750 sixth grade students submitted entries this year. Those submissions were whittled down to the top 40, who gathered for the awards ceremony where the top 3 winners were revealed.

"This is really about creativity and it's about fun," said County Attorney Kent Volkmer. "But what we really want to have happen is we want parents and loved ones...to have conversations with their kids."

The submissions came from students who attend schools all across Pinal County.

"It's my hope that this will be a conversation starter," Volkmer said.

The 31st Annual Anti-Drug Poster Contest is dedicated to the memory of Judge Robert Bean.

"What he realized 31 years ago is that sixth graders, even back then as they are today are facing...progression and maturity into, sort of, teenage years and into high school," Volkmer said. "As you progress, as you grow, you have choices to make."

While the event itself is a celebration of the students' achievement, Volkmer noted the serious issue at hand. He cited a rise in fentanyl cases, with 20% of all drug busts by law enforcement involving the opioid.

"[It] essentially gets you really high, makes you fall asleep and unfortunately if you overdose on it you fall asleep and you never wake up," Volkmer said, noting it is typically mixed into a pill. "You don't have to inject it, you don't have to smoke it, you don't have to take it any other way than just having a single pill that you swallow. You may think it's just a pill to have fun, you may think it's a pill that's just going to relax you, that you're stressed, that you need to calm down. But that pill could end up costing you your life."

The Anti-Drug Poster Contest allows students the chance to show off their creativity while crafting an anti-drug message.

"We get their families to come in, get their loved ones to come in, we get [a] great show from law enforcement that's here, we get to bring the kids up and talk about them and really shake their hands, congratulate them and truly celebrate them," Volkmer said.

The top 10 and top 3 selections are made by three Pinal County judges.

"It is as honest as we can make it," Volkmer joked. "Who better can we have to judge than our actual sitting judges?"

The third place winner’s poster will be placed on bookmarks, second place will be on spiral notebooks and the first place will be on t-shirts.  All 40 students will receive one of each of those prizes.  The first place winner’s class gets a field trip to Phoenix Science Center.

The winning poster this year was submitted by Savae Garcia from Casa Grande Middle School.

"I was like 'whoa' and then I just went up here with a big smile on my face," Garcia said about her reaction to being called as the winner.

Garcia's poster includes exquisite artwork with the phrase 'When it comes to drugs keep it moving.'

"I have a family member that's on drugs currently," she said. "I wanted her to stop because it took me away from her."

Garcia said she spent a couple hours a day over the course of several weeks creating and fine-tuning her poster.

"I'm very proud of myself," she said.

When asked what message she hopes other kids take away from her poster, she had a quick response.

"Don't do drugs, keep it moving," she said.

The top 10 posters will hang in the hallway for the next year in Pinal County Superior Court.

FIRST PLACE: Savae Garcia / Casa Grande Middle School

SECOND PLACE: Layla Perez / Eduprize

THIRD PLACE: Maria Elena Matus / Circle Cross Ranch

FLORENCE - The Pinal County Attorney's Office would like to recognize some of the excellent nonprofit organizations helping communities around Pinal County.

"In today's world, where we hear and see nothing but negativity and divisiveness, I think it's important to recognize some of the good that happens in our community," said County Attorney Kent Volkmer.

One of the nonprofit organizations is HOHP (Honoring/Hiring/Helping Our Heroes of Pinal County), which is based in Casa Grande and provides resources for Veterans across Pinal County.

Another nonprofit in our community is Hope Women's Center, which is based in Coolidge. The center provides a safe haven for at-risk women and girls, as well as providing them resources.