Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used to treat severe pain. But more than 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to the U.S. “In health care, we dose fentanyl in micrograms,” explains Amanda N. Donald, MD, an addiction medicine physician at Northwestern Medicine. It’s one of the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. You can become dependent on fentanyl even if you’re taking it as directed by a doctor.
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Fentanyl is approximately 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Its high potency makes it effective in treating pain, particularly in patients with chronic severe pain or those recovering from surgery. In conclusion, buying fentanyl illegally is not only dangerous but also illegal. It is essential to consult a healthcare provider and obtain a valid prescription if you need fentanyl for pain management.
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- This robust pharmacologic agent is typically 50 to 100 times more potent.
- He told Newsweek his team found 997 of such websites, 260 of which have since been shut down.
- People sometimes take illegally made fentanyl knowingly, either by itself or with other drugs in various forms, such as powders or pills.
- However, an emergency medicine called naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose related to fentanyl.
Can A Fentanyl Overdose Be Treated?
There are more than 30 nonpharmaceutical-grade fentanyl analogs circulating on the illicit drug market, many of which cannot be detected on standard urine drug screens. According to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, nearly 95% of websites offering prescription-only drugs online operate illegally. The drug user in Texas said he first began using opioids when a doctor prescribed him hydrocodone for a bad cough he had as a teenager. He progressed to prescription painkillers, and then, when they became too expensive, to heroin. The heroin left him broke and with abscesses on his skin. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is used to treat post-op pain, cancer patients and others with severe chronic pain.
What Is A Fentanyl Overdose?
Because fentanyl is so potent and commonly found in the drug supply, it is easy for people to accidentally overdose on fentanyl. A fentanyl overdose can occur after the drug is injected, swallowed, snorted, or smoked. Symptoms of a fentanyl overdose, including slow or absent breathing, generally occur within minutes of the overdose.
Fentanyl Addiction
Discarded fentanyl patches may still contain significant amounts of the drug. This can result in misuse if someone removes the gel contents from discarded patches. They may be available through state and local health departments, syringe services programs, or drug stores and online retailers. Fentanyl is very potent, and even a small amount can lead to overdose and death, especially when used improperly. The investigators didn’t actually execute a purchase, because even a small amount of fentanyl can be lethal. But they learned how simple it was to buy these powerful opioids online and how brash the sellers were.
Can I Buy Fentanyl Online?
When used, fentanyl quickly binds to opioid receptors in the brain, producing intense feelings of euphoria and pain relief. This effect can lead to both physical and psychological dependence, even with short-term use. If you or someone you know is showing these symptoms, it is important to seek professional help immediately. Users and family members should have immediate access to naloxone (Narcan), an opioid agonist medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose. Due to the risk of the drug being mixed with other substances, it is now essential to obtain test strips, which can tell a person if fentanyl is present in the tested substance. Fentanyl + alcohol may increase the risk of respiratory depression and possible overdose.
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It can cause harm or death to people with opioid use disorders or who may have accidental exposure to the drug. A person with opioid use disorder has an increased risk of overdose. Carrying naloxone can provide them with an extra layer of protection from overdose. They have been working on this investigation since last year, and their full findings will be reviewed at a Senate hearing on Thursday. The unnamed victim was one of nine people listed in a September 2024 federal indictment against 18 defendants.
Here is what you need to know about fentanyl, what it’s used for, what it does to you, side effects, drug interactions, withdrawal symptoms and why fentanyl is so dangerous. If you suspect someone is overdosing on fentanyl, call emergency services immediately. If available, administer naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse opioid overdose. People taking a daily prescribed dose will become dependent on the drug and will have withdrawal symptoms if they stop it. This is not an addiction but instead a physiological response.
These effects may include confusion, drowsiness, nausea, visual disturbances, constipation, muscle stiffness, and many others. No, purchasing fentanyl without a prescription is illegal and highly discouraged. Congress passed its first major opioids legislation and funding in late 2016 but hasn’t done much since to follow up. And so far, the Trump administration’s response to the opioid crisis — a regular talking point for the president on the campaign trail — has been severely lacking in those other, arguably more pressing areas.
Right now, private carriers are required to collect advanced electronic data, a bar code with information about the sender, the recipient, and what is in the package. But the Postal Service and its foreign counterparts do not. That’s precisely why sellers prefer the US Postal Service over FedEx or UPS.
Fentanyl can also be “diverted.” That’s when the drug is prescribed by a doctor but isn’t used as directed or is sold or given to someone else. In case of overdose, remove the fentanyl from the victim’s mouth and call local emergency services at 911. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication. Additionally, some people use the ultrapotent fentanyl analog carfentanil, which is legally used to sedate large animals. While fentanyl is legally manufactured and distributed in the U.S., it can be stolen, obtained with fraudulent prescriptions or made in illegal labs.
Your healthcare provider will determine if fentanyl is appropriate for your condition and will provide you with a valid prescription. Using fentanyl regularly can lead to an opioid use disorder (OUD). OUDs are chronic but treatable medical conditions that involve changes in our brains, which makes stopping very difficult without support.
