---
title: Preventing Overdoses from Fentanyl Being Mistaken for Cocaine
description: This behavior change campaign in King County, WA, addresses a recent sharp rise in overdoses from fentanyl being sold as cocaine.
---

[Behavior Change Tactics & Strategies](https://blog.rescueagency.com)

# [Preventing Overdoses from Fentanyl Being Mistaken for Cocaine](https://blog.rescueagency.com/preventing-overdoses-from-fentanyl-being-mistaken-for-cocaine)

 Written by [Krysten Isaac](https://blog.rescueagency.com/author/krysten-isaac) | September 12, 2024 at 8:13 AM

Across the country, fentanyl is being mistaken for cocaine powder and rock form, leading to an increased risk of accidental overdose fatalities. Those who use cocaine consider it a safer drug to experiment with than fentanyl and are often unaware that they could be at risk for a fatal fentanyl overdose.

To effectively increase risk perceptions and encourage the audience to use risk mitigation tactics, King County developed “Before the Bump” in partnership with Rescue Agency. 

A first-of-its-kind campaign, “Before the Bump” leverages key insights about this audience’s knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs:

- **Misconceptions about fentanyl in cocaine**: We aimed to clarify that Cocaine may actually be fentanyl powder, not just cross-contamination, in King County.
- **Testing for fentanyl:** Capitalizing on the existing behavior of cocaine users testing the purity of their drugs, we encouraged testing for fentanyl as well.
- **Making fentanyl testing appealing**: By elevating the fentanyl testing experience with an expert, mixology approach, we made using fentanyl test strips more attractive.

To see these insights in action, [watch our commercial “Before the Bump” now](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWB6zq1N1q0&list=PL9nPye7a7WJnUDWtwZQERthmpVvxJUNsK&index=2).

 

To reach our audience, we strategically utilized a robust communications framework across various streaming platforms, Reddit, Meta, and at bars and clubs. For example, we developed out-of-home placements on drink coasters at local bars and clubs, delivering contextually appropriate messaging in a non-invasive manner.

 

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[View full post](https://blog.rescueagency.com/preventing-overdoses-from-fentanyl-being-mistaken-for-cocaine)

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