The Fentanyl Crisis: What you need to Know
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.
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.
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.
Assume Any Street Drug Could Contain Fentanyl: Even if someone believes they’re using cocaine or meth, it could be laced or cross-contaminated.
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
Know the signs of overdose and carry Narcan (Naloxone): This life-saving medication can reverse an opioid overdose if given in time. It’s free (message me for free Narcan) safe and easy to use.
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.