70% of opioid-related fatalities are caused by Fentanyl.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was originally developed for procedural anesthetic and pain management for cancer patients, but currently fentanyl is commonly manufactured illegally and mixed illicitly with other opioids (oxycodone and heroin), cocaine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines (such as fake Xanax), and with other stimulants (such as fake Adderall) .
Why is fentanyl so dangerous?
Similar to other opioid analgesics, Fentanyl can produce effects such as euphoria, pain relief, sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting, and respiratory depression, depending on the dose and the person’s opioid tolerance. Because of its potency, very small amounts can suppress a person’s respiratory drive very quickly.
Where is Fentanyl Found?
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Heroin
Fentanyl is more potent than and commonly mixed with heroin.
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Meth
Methamphetamine is a stimulant, as is cocaine, but often these stimulants are cut with fentanyl; illegal drug manufacturers do this to save money, and often work in labs that aren’t following any standards to create safe ratios of each drug.
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Ecstasy
Many drug suppliers mix fentanyl with methamphetamine or oxycodone, and then add red, yellow or blue food coloring to form a pill sold as MDMA, or ecstasy. Or they mix these drugs and sell it as (fake) Xanax.
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Counterfeit Pills
Counterfeit pills are a huge problem; fentanyl is found in fake oxycodone, fake Xanax, fake Adderal, and many others. These pills are stamped and shaped to look like an actual pill from a pharmacy, and it is nearly impossible to tell the difference.
Why is Fentanyl being added to recreational drugs?
Fentanyl increases the potency and addictive potential when it is added to other drugs. It is also cheap to manufacture and distribute. Most fentanyl is manufactured in clandestine labs and smuggled across our border, although some of the pill manufacturing/pressing happens in the U.S. Most people who take opioids on a daily basis (pills and heroin) have built up some tolerance to opioids, but not always; many who are exposed to fentanyl have never been exposed to opioids, and an extremely small amount of Fentanyl exposure can be deadly.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is not intended as medical advice; Dr. Weinstock is a physician but not YOUR physician. While we advocate for the life-saving potential of tools such as fentanyl test strips and naloxone, BirdieLight is not the manufacturer of these tools, and no tool is 100% accurate all the time. BirdieLight makes no representations that these tools are 100% accurate; any reliance you place on them is strictly at your own risk. Please keep in mind that while fentanyl test strips are a powerful detection tool for the potentially-lethal presence of fentanyl in illegal pills and powder, the strips have been determined to be 92-96% sensitive in detecting fentanyl. Remember, never use any substance when you are alone (tell a friend you are taking something!) and that friend should always know where the naloxone (Narcan) is.