Police chief and sheriff address opioid, vaping risks at community assembly: ‘It scared me.’

Editor’s note: This article is part one of a two-part series.

WARNER ROBINS — On August 16, the Combat Bullying tour held an assembly at Southside Baptist Church, bringing together local leaders and industry experts to raise awareness about the dangers of opioid use. Speaking from a law enforcement stance, Warner Robins Police Chief Wayne Fisher and Houston County Sheriff Matt Moulton shared what they saw on the front lines of the drug crisis.

Fisher warned that Warner Robins has entered a “pounds, not ounces” stage of fentanyl seizures, with enough of the drug confiscated this year alone to kill millions. 

According to Fisher, law enforcement seized 8.5 ounces of fentanyl in 2023, while in 2024, the Warner Robins Police Department seized 25.5 ounces.

So far this year, police in Warner Robins have taken 16.5 pounds of fentanyl off the streets. Given a two-milligram lethal dose, that amount is enough to kill the entire population of Connecticut.

“When we look at just what we have seized with the 16.5 pounds of fentanyl, that was enough to kill 3,742,131 people. Think about that,” Fisher said.

Fisher used a personal example to warn that prescriptions could still lead to addiction, depending on individual predispositions. He added that opioids were mistakenly marketed as non-addictive, resulting in overprescription.

“When I was issued opioids for knee surgeries, when I had my first dose of it, it scared me because of how it psychologically affected me and my perspective of other things. From that point, I put it off on the side. I’m very much a type-A personality, and it scared me,” he said.

While law enforcement vigorously pursues traffickers, Fisher emphasized the need for compassion towards those battling addiction, stressing those struggling should be viewed as victims rather than villains.

“We do not look at people that have opioid addictions as being evil villains of society. We look at them as being a victim in many cases, circumstances that were beyond their control,” he said.

Moulton addressed a recent increase in overdoses and explained why fentanyl is a favored choice for drug trafficking. Although overdose rates briefly decreased due to community awareness efforts, they are rising again as the supply increases. 

He emphasized the need for law enforcement to adopt a more proactive approach and conduct more investigations focused on trafficking.

“We saw those numbers go down. I’m sad to say, over the last two or three months, we’ve seen a trend upwards,” Moulton said. “I’ve heard more overdose calls go out over the radio. Is that because supply is now coming back into Middle Georgia? Likely so.”

Moulton noted that fentanyl is favored by dealers because it is significantly cheaper than heroin. This price difference leads to the production of contaminated pills and unpredictable overdoses. A kilogram of heroin sells for approximately $54,000, whereas fentanyl costs about $4,000 for the same amount. As a result, drug dealers often purchase both substances and mix them to create pills.

“[As a drug dealer,] I’m not a scientist, I’m not a chemist. I have no idea what proportion of what drug is in each pill. That’s the problem. I could sell you a pill with no effect at all, but the next pill I sell could be nothing but fentanyl, and as soon as it touches your tongue, you drop over dead,” he said.

Moulton also addressed the dangers of vaping, particularly among young people. He pointed out vapes are often marketed using cartoon characters to attract a younger audience and referenced Drug Enforcement Administration studies that indicate a single 15,000-puff vape contains the equivalent nicotine of 800 cigarettes. 

He also mentioned law enforcement is collaborating with the Department of Revenue and the DEA to ensure local vape shops and convenience stores are accurately labeling and marketing their products.

“One 15,000 puff vape would take about a week and a half to go through it if you’re using it regularly… Would you smoke 40 packs of cigarettes in a week and a half? That’s the amount of nicotine our children are getting,” he said.

Moulton discussed the health effects of vaping, emphasizing an image he saw of a 22-year-old’s lungs. In comparison to an 82-year-old patient with lung cancer, the 22-year-old’s lungs were in worse condition due to a problem known as “popcorn lung.”

It’s more than just nicotine; vapes can also contain THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, and they’re more potent than what’s naturally found in leaves, Moulton said.

“These vapes contain anywhere from 82% to 93-94% THC. To put that into perspective, the marijuana that was typically being purchased on the streets, a few years ago, before it all became lab-grown, or hydroponically-grown marijuana, was around 12-14% THC, so you would smoke quite a bit of marijuana to achieve the high that you wanted, where now, one half of a puff from one of these THC vapes is enough to cause a THC overdose and cause dire medical issues in the person that’s using it,” he said.

More panelists at the assembly discussed various topics, including the psychological effects of opioids, personal stories of addiction, medication-assisted treatment, and the founder’s motivations for raising awareness. These insights will be featured in a future edition of The Houston Home Journal.