The combination of extreme potency, ease of adulteration, and widespread distribution in the illicit drug market makes fentanyl a uniquely lethal threat. Through public awareness, the use of life-saving tools like naloxone, and better access to addiction treatment, we can begin to mitigate the dangers posed by fentanyl and save lives. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times stronger than heroin. Doctors sometimes prescribe it to treat severe pain, especially after surgery. However, fentanyl is now found more often in illegal drug markets. People sometimes buy what they believe to be prescription opioids or other drugs, only to end up with substances laced with fentanyl.
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- Others may take them to relieve pain from a surgical procedure.
- Stay close to family and friends while getting the support you need.
- Fentanyl is deadly, unpredictable, and increasingly widespread, but recovery is possible with the right help.
- Remember, you do not have to handle everything on your own.
- Thus, the therapeutic approach should continue until a normal respiratory rate coincides with appropriate oxygen saturation levels.
Can a fentanyl overdose be treated?
In recent years, fentanyl has emerged as one of the most lethal drugs on the illicit market, responsible for a surge in opioid-related overdose deaths. As synthetic opioids like fentanyl permeate drug supplies, understanding why fentanyl is so dangerous becomes critical for public safety. This blog post will explore what fentanyl is, why it poses such a serious risk, and the critical steps that can be taken to mitigate this deadly threat. The isolation, trauma and disruption of addiction treatment programs that followed the onset of COVID in 2020 overlap with the most devastating years of drug overdose deaths. Many public health experts believe the pandemic deepened the catastrophic impacts of fentanyl. According to this theory, as the impacts of COVID continue to fade, deadly overdoses are also declining to a more “normal” level.
The Rise of Fentanyl: Key Overdose Trends
Part of the reason fentanyl is dangerous is its invisibility. You can’t see, smell, or taste it, which means you cannot know if it’s there without testing the drug. Some people claim they can tell they are taking fentanyl, rather than heroin, due to its pale color (which ranges from bright white to off-white) and sweet how long does fentanyl stay in your system taste.
theories why fentanyl deaths are plummeting
As the Chief of Medical Toxicology at UMass Chan Medical School, I have studied fentanyl and its analogs for years. Although the dangers of fentanyl addiction and overdose are growing at an alarming rate, there are highly effective treatment options available to help anyone struggling. First, always assume that any pill or drug that is not purchased directly from a pharmacy or provided in a medical setting, likely contains fentanyl. This includes everything from cocaine, heroin, meth and even marijuana to Xanax, Oxycodone, and other pills. In https://niflyer.com/what-does-it-feel-like-to-be-drunk-effects-and/ the past, even the most ambitious, well-funded efforts to slow drug deaths only helped a little bit. Reducing fatal overdoses by 8% or 9% was seen as a huge win.
Our staff includes master’s level counselors, licensed chemical dependency counselors, 24-hour nursing professionals, a staff psychiatrist, a staff chef, and direct care personnel. Our counseling staff provides individualized treatment and care for our clients with an emphasis on tailoring treatment to the specific needs of each individual. Additionally, our staff provides family counseling, relapse prevention, life skills, and grief and trauma counseling. Naloxone kits are available at many pharmacies and community organizations.
- Drug addiction treatment programs offer structured help through inpatient or outpatient settings.
- The widespread distribution of fentanyl in the illicit drug market is another reason for the surge in overdose deaths.
- You can’t see, smell, or taste it, which means you cannot know if it’s there without testing the drug.
- Clients learn how fentanyl affects the brain and body, how to recognize triggers, and how to develop strategies for relapse prevention.
As the one of the most powerful opioids, fentanyl is typically used to treat patients with chronic severe pain from terminal cancer or as a surgical anesthetic. If you suspect someone is overdosing on fentanyl, call emergency services immediately. If available, administer naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Doctors normally administer fentanyl through transdermal patches that go on the skin.
