Fentanyl: The dangers of this potent man-made opioid

why is fentanyl so dangerous

The suspected fentanyl overdose deaths followed another incident last week in which three other people had overdosed, but there were no fatalities. The Los Angeles County medical examiner on Tuesday revealed the performer’s official cause of death, confirming details previously shared by his manager. Seth “Shifty Shellshock” Binzer, died due to the effects of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the coroner database. “Fentanyl is our nation’s deadliest illicit drug threat, as it is devastating families and communities. And we are fiercely determined to hold accountable those who are responsible for such devastation, especially when one’s drug trafficking results in another’s death.

why is fentanyl so dangerous

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And because it’s being mixed with other, also addictive drugs, the problem is even worse. “Having fentanyl mixed into another substance makes that substance much more addictive,” says Dr. Trahan. Offers basic facts about the synthetic opioid Fentanyl including how it is abused, its effect on the brain, and other health effects. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is internationally synthesized in China, Mexico and India, then exported to the United States as powder or pressed pills.

Deaths involving illegally made fentanyl are rising

This means breathing stops altogether, and they cannot get the oxygen their brain and body need to survive. Some people may also vomit and choke to death because they are unconscious. This typically occurs rapidly, in a matter of a few minutes.

  • Death can follow quickly if the overdosed person isn’t treated.
  • Fentanyl is often added to other illicit pills and powders without people’s knowledge.
  • It is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been mixed with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl test strips.

Related medical questions

The drug accounted for less than 10% of all fatal overdoses prior to 2020. By 2023, it was linked to more than half of all overdose deaths in the state. Nearly 100 Montanans died from fentanyl overdoses in each of the past two years. Initial reports of fentanyl abuse were linked to prescription products, but in recent years, illicit fentanyl has become the most commonly abused form.

  • This requires access to naloxone, the antidote to overdoses.
  • The increase was consistent with larger quantities of fentanyl being manufactured and positive fentanyl toxicology drug tests administered during COVID-19 the pandemic.
  • In a statement released Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner revealed that the official cause of death for the singer-songwriter born Seth Brooks Binzer was the combined effects of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
  • You can order it for delivery to your home, pick it up at one of several San Diego locations, or even get it from one of 12 county vending machines.

Some patients may use prescription opioids for chronic pain. Others may take them to relieve pain from a surgical procedure. The increase in overdose deaths highlights the need to ensure people most at risk of overdose can access care, as well as the need to expand prevention and response activities. how long does iv fentanyl stay in your system Fentanyl, a powerful painkiller developed nearly 60 years ago, is at the center of the deadliest drug epidemic in American history. More people have died of synthetic-opioid overdoses than the number of U.S. military personnel killed during the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined.

why is fentanyl so dangerous

Anecdotally, Fitch-Brody said she’s seen an increase in public awareness when tabling at events in town. OFAC said that another individual set up a pharmacy and convenience store using drug proceeds in the northern state of Sonora. Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 36, of Catonsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in… Second – together with ATF, DEA, and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department – the office secured 10-year and seven-year prison sentences, respectively, for two individuals on fentanyl and gun charges. But we know that progress in many communities is still uneven. And, of course, there is no acceptable level of violent crime.

why is fentanyl so dangerous

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