Davidson First Addicted News Today

>> last year, we hit a record in record deaths. 100,306 people died from deadly overdose year-over-year. heres the story of one. >> i just knew in my mothers heart, my son was dead. >> reporter: matthew davidson, 31 years old, died from an overdose on memorial day 2020. >> i just remember crying out, "i wasnt ready to let you go." and spent some time alone with him, patting his hair, touching his hands. he looked like he was just asleep. >> reporter: davidson first addicted to prescription paink...

>> reporter: matthew davidson, 31 years old, died from an overdose on memorial day 2020. >> i just remember crying out. i wasnt ready to let you go, and i spent some time alone with him patting his hair and touching his -- his hands. he looked like he was just asleep. >> reporter: davidson first addicted to prescription painkillers and then heroin, struggled with addiction for ten years. >> this isnt my first time that ive been in a program. >> reporter: in and out of recovery and overdosing mor...

Installment of our new series "news of addiction." today a look at fentanyl. its driving rising overdose deaths. more than 150 a day according to the u.s. centers for disease control. fentanyl is up to 100 times stronger than morphine. often mixed with other drugs to make them cheaper and more powerful and more addictive. and as miguel marquez reports for us, the pandemic has made it even harder for those struggling with addiction. >> i just knew in my mothers heart, my son was dead. >> reporter...

Struggled with addiction for ten years. >> this isnt my first time ive been in the program. >> reporter: in and out of a program, overdosing more than once. his death ultimately caused by fentanyl. >> at one point when his girlfriend was asleep, i think thats when he decided he was going to take this dose of what he thought was heroin, but it was a very high level of fentanyl as well. >> and it doesnt take any of it to hardly kill you. >> reporter: fentanyl and synthetic opioids like it accounti...

It was fentanyl. >> reporter: how much did you use? >> very little. less than 0.1 gram. and i found out it was straight fentanyl. >> reporter: that is a tiny -- >> that is tinier than tiny. it is like barely a sprinkle of salt >> i want to welcome everybody tonight. >> reporter: social interaction important for the addicted, their families, too. jean butcher founded the kentucky chapter of parent of addicted loved ones and over the years theyve had it all as they struggled to free their son matt...