Fentora: Fentanyl Patch Deadly

October 10, 2007, 8:45AM. By Jane Mundy

Corydon, INErin Meek's cousin was only 18 when he passed away in May, 2006. Cody Rhoads and his friend Quinnan, age 20, both died after taking Fentanyl, (an opoid analgesic found in Fentora and Actiq and 80 times more potent than morphine), allegedly sold to them by another young man.

Dylan (not his real name) had access to fentanyl patches from his mother. "She had been in an accident that allowed her to receive prescription drugs, including Xanax and Fentanyl, both drugs which she sold to her son and other kids in the county," says Erin.

Erin and Cody's mother knew that Cody and Quinnan were smoking pot and drinking but worse was that they sometimes hung out with Dylan. They live in a small community and not much gets by them.

"Dylan once showed up at my aunt's house so messed up that he could barely sit up straight in a chair and my aunt asked what was wrong with him," says Erin. "Dylan said he was on just a couple of pain pills and my aunt said, 'What are you, stupid? Don't you know that those are supposed to be for people who are in pain?' All Dylan said was, 'Hey, I've worked all week. I deserve to relax a little'. My aunt then told him he needed to straighten up and not to come back to her house doing that stuff and she also told Cody that Dylan was going to get himself or someone else killed one day."

Little did she know that that day was coming sooner than she thought.

Apparently, Dylan sold Cody and Quinnan one of his mom's fentanyl patches on May 18th, 2006. "Dylan's mother told the police that Cody and Quinnan stole the patch from her--case closed," says Erin.

"After their deaths, several people in the community, including the coroner, told us that the police had been investigating [Dylan's mother] for over eight years," adds Erin. "Five hundred and twenty people visited the funeral home to pay their respects when Cody died. Yes, he did drugs. Yes, he did more than I knew about. Did he mean to die, no-- I do not believe he meant this.

"I feel an immense amount of guilt. Guilt for not believing that Cody's behavior was that bad. Guilt for not telling him that he needed to slow down. Guilt for not doing something. My Aunt feels that pain as well. She also hates the fact that the police have made her son out to be a thief and a drug addict.

At this point, I am not sure what to do. I am angry. I suppose I am going through the typical stages of grief; however, I would like to see something done. Someone saved. Something to show that neither Quinnan or Cody died for nothing. I just do not know where to begin.

I would love to see this woman behind bars for what she has done. I believe that if someone is in that amount of pain, then why would she sell what relieves that pain from her?

I also do not understand why a doctor would prescribe this type of drug to someone who obviously doesn't seem to need them. It's been over a year now and Cody would be turning 20 on November 30th. I wish that Cody and Quinnan had read [your article] before making such a bad decision."