BATON ROUGE — Tuesday is National Fentanyl Awareness Day and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is encouraging those affected in Louisiana to share the stories of their loved ones. 

As fentanyl is being found in street drugs across the nation, it remains a significant drug threat contributing to the tragic rise in drug-related overdose deaths.

Special Agent Steven Hofer with the New Orleans division of the Drug Enforcement Administration said that taking drugs can be tricky and becomes a gamble in the game of life.

"[It's like] playing Russian roulette, you just never know... no one can detect it until it's too late," Hofer said.

The highly potent synthetic opioid continues to be the "most significant drug threat that there is all throughout the entire country... it's in every community," according to the New Orleans division of the DEA. Officials say individuals often consume it unknowingly, mixed into other drugs, leading to unintentional and fatal overdoses.

The state of Louisiana averages four deaths a day to fentanyl, officials say.

"In 2024, there were more than 1,500 lives lost just here in Louisiana," Hofer said.

East Baton Rouge Parish had 188 overdose deaths in 2024, with 157 involving fentanyl and generally involving a combination of other drugs. 

In response to the deaths, the U.S. DEA launched a website that shows statistics and allows people to add to a digital memorial.

The DEA is encouraging those in Louisiana to share their stories on the site.

"The number one thing that they will recognize is that that's powerful. It is very powerful to see the faces of the people who have been lost to fentanyl overdose or drug overdose," Hofer said.

The digital platform offers more than just remembrance; it stands as a crucial tool for education and awareness, aiming to inform the public about the extreme dangers associated with fentanyl.

"It also provides what we find to be very important, and that is a solace to the families of the victims that are lost," Hofer said.

Anyone interested in visiting the website can click here.