What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It was originally developed as a prescription painkiller for severe pain, such as in cancer patients or after surgery.

There are two types of fentanyl:

1. Pharmaceutical Fentanyl - Prescribed by doctors for severe pain management in patches, lozenges, or IV form. Safe and typically not used recreationally or sold on the streets,

2. Illicit Fentanyl -Manufactured illegally and found in street drugs, counterfeit pills, and powders. This is what’s driving the overdose crisis. Some people know they are taking it, some people do not.

Why is Fentanyl So Dangerous?

Extreme Potency: Just 2 milligrams-about the size of a few grains of salt-can be lethal.

Hidden in Drugs: Illicit fentanyl is often mixed into heroin, cocaine, meth, and fake prescription pills (like counterfeit Percocet, Xanax, and Oxycodone) without the user knowing.

Uneven distribution: fentanyl powder is not distributed evenly and could result in one half of a pill could contain little fentanyl while the other half could be deadly.

Fast-Acting Overdose: Even a tiny miscalculation in dose (these pills are impossible to calculate) can shut down breathing within minutes.

Why is Fentanyl Being Used?

Cheap & Easy to Make: Illicit fentanyl is cheaper to produce than heroin or prescription opioids, making it more profitable for drug suppliers.

Highly Addictive: It creates a fast, intense high, leading to dependence.

Counterfeit Pills Are Everywhere: Many people think they’re taking a real prescription pill, but it’s actually fentanyl. These fake pills can be purchased as easily as sending a message on Snapchat or other social media apps and include conterfiet Percocet and other pain pills, Xanax, Adderall and MDMA.

How to Stay Safe

Never Take Pills That Aren’t Prescribed to You: Counterfeit pills look identical to real ones, but even one pill could be fatal, its random and you never know which one contains a deadly dose.

Assume Any Street Drug Could Contain Fentanyl: Fentanyl isn’t just in counterfeit pills anymore, it can be found in street drugs like meth and cocaine.

Don’t Use Alone: If someone does use substances, having another person nearby will allow for quicker response in case of overdose. NEVER USE ALONE, you cannot Narcan yourself.

Know the signs of overdose and carry Narcan (Naloxone): This life-saving medication can reverse an opioid overdose if given in time. Narcan is available FREE in most states. Message us for resources in your area.

Even though opioid-related deaths have started to decline in some areas, thousands of lives are still being lost to fentanyl. Behind every statistic is a person- a son, daughter, parent, brother or friend who didn’t have to die. This crisis isn’t over, and awareness remains critical. We need to keep having these conversations, educating others, and looking out for one another. By spreading awareness and offering support instead of judgment, we can help save lives

To learn more about the fentanyl crisis and how to keep you and your loved ones safe visit the sites below

Educational & Government Resources

CDC – Understanding the Overdose Crisis
Clear, data-backed info on synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
https://www.cdc.gov/opioids/basics/index.html

DEA – One Pill Can Kill Campaign
National campaign about fake pills laced with fentanyl.
https://www.dea.gov/onepill

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Research on fentanyl, addiction, and treatment options.
https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/fentanyl

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Treatment locator + overdose prevention resources.
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/naloxone

Awareness & Advocacy Groups

Facing Fentanyl
Created by families impacted by fentanyl loss — hosts the national Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day.
https://www.facingfentanylnow.org

Shatterproof
National nonprofit working to end the addiction crisis through policy change, education, and stigma reduction.
https://www.shatterproof.org

Song for Charlie
Dedicated to informing young people and parents about fake pills. Powerful videos + youth-targeted messaging.
https://www.songforcharlie.org

Harm Reduction & Support

Never Use Alone
A lifesaving peer support hotline for people using alone.
https://neverusealone.com

National Harm Reduction Coalition
Advocacy and resources around safe use, Narcan, and reducing stigma.
https://harmreduction.org

NEXT Distro
Free online mail-based naloxone (Narcan) and harm reduction supply distribution.
https://nextdistro.org

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The rise of fentanyl has drastically changed the landscape of opioid addiction, making substance use more dangerous than ever before. In the past, individuals struggling with opioid dependence typically used prescription painkillers or heroin, substances with a more predictable potency. With fentanyl flooding the drug supply, the margin for error has disappeared. Many people who have used opioids for years are now overdosing at alarming rates because their usual dose has been unknowingly replaced with fentanyl, which is significantly more potent. This shift has also accelerated physical dependence, with people now seeking out fentanyl as their drug of choice. This makes withdrawal even more severe and leads some individuals to use more frequently just to avoid the unbearable symptoms. What was once an addiction that some could manage over time has become a crisis where one mistake- one pill, one dose can be fatal.