FENTANYL

What Is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful, synthetic opioid that is 100x more potent than morphine. Synthetic means it is produced in labs in mass quantities and because it can be mass produced, it lowers the cost.  It's chemical cousin, Carfentanil is 10,000 times stronger than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl. Carfentanil is so strong it is used as a tranquilizer for very large animals, like elephants. Outside of legal medical or zoological needs both are made and distributed illegal and added among other drugs like heroin, cocaine, meth, and street sold prescription pills and can cause death within seconds. Because they are found in other forms of drugs, these substances can be taken intravenously, smoked, snorted, orally, and through medically given patches or lozenges.

A 2 mg dose of Carfentanil will knock out an average size elephant and is enough to kill about 50 people.

In 2020, about 64% of reported overdoses involved an illegally made opioids like fentanyl.

Medical Use

Fentanyl was developed in 1959 as an intravenous anesthetic and severe pain management tool. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is FDA approved, prescribed and managed by a doctor, dosed in micrograms, and administered in a control setting.

Illegally Made Fentanyl

Illegally made fentanyl (IMF) is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder. In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies. Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl. In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies.

Fentanyl's Role In The Overdose Epidemic

Fentanyl is the most common drug involved in overdose deaths. Drugs may contain deadly levels of fentanyl and you would not be able to see, smell, or taste it. Only a small dose of fentanyl is needed to have an effect on the body. When obtained outside of a prescription, the dosage isn’t regulated, and it becomes easy to take a deadly amount especially if someone is trying a drug for the first time.

You may think you are taking an opioid for back pain you got from your friend or bought from a dealer and it could be laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl - remember, one pill can kill.

Source: CDC

Source: A Song for Charlie

How To Help If Someone Has Overdosed

1. Call 911 immediately. North Carolina's Good Samaritan Law means you WILL NOT GET IN TROUBLE for seeking medical assistance in drug related overdoses.

https://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/BySection/Chapter_18B/GS_18B-302.2.pdf

2. Give naloxone as quickly as possible, if available. Do not wait for emergency workers to arrive before giving naloxone. If naloxone is not available, do rescue breaths or CPR until EMS arrives.
3. Stay with the person until emergency workers arrive.

For more information on Naloxone, click here.