Fentanyl and Fatalities

As the opioid epidemic spreads across the country, it also grows deadlier. Fentanyl is a narcotic that has gained national attention in recent months. In medically supervised settings, fentanyl is often used alongside other medications for anesthesia. In today’s opioid crisis, illegally manufactured and distributed fentanyl is making its abuse deadly. This is because fentanyl is a shockingly potent opioid, with just a few grains causing an overdose in the average person. Fentanyl can be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine alone. Sadly, fentanyl is becoming a bigger problem as the opioid crisis worsens.

Does Fentanyl Make Overdoses Worse?

As fentanyl’s reach grows, so do overdoses. This is because a fentanyl overdose is nothing like an overdose with other drugs. With fentanyl, an overdose can happen within minutes. This gives shorter windows for counteracting the overdose, raising mortality rates. Additionally, fentanyl doses are becoming increasingly potent. This means that Narcan, the medication used by many to revive overdose victims, is growing less effective as fentanyl evolves.

Why is Fentanyl so Dangerous? Can’t I Just Avoid it?

Knowing the dangers of fentanyl would lead any person to avoid it, but it’s not that easy. While there are illegal doses of fentanyl sold on the streets, it’s found in other places too. Due to lower production costs, many street drugs are now cut with fentanyl. And it’s not just narcotics, fentanyl has been found mixed with cocaine and even with marijuana. This means that you never know what you’re buying, and fentanyl’s dangers can always be lurking. Some communities have gone as far as providing fentanyl test strips for field testing of street drugs, but these test strips are not always accurate.

So What is the Best Way to Stay Safe from Fentanyl?

The best way to avoid fentanyl and its dangers is to get sober. Illegal drug dealers are lacing more of their products with increasingly potent fentanyl, creating a deadly game of roulette anytime someone uses. At Banyan Treatment Center Pompano Beach, we can help you find sobriety from a variety of substance abuse challenges. Our drug and alcohol treatment center in Pompano can treat drug abuse, alcoholism, or other challenges. Don’t become another victim to fentanyl’s dangers.