It’s unclear how many lives naloxone is saving each year, but many front-line public health workers tell me the impact is huge. To put it Drug rehabilitation in perspective, it’s 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. According to the CDC, overdoses involving synthetic opioids increased by 72.2% from 2014 to 2015.
The Risks of Fentanyl Abuse
Fentanyl patches pose a danger to kids who can stick them on their skin or mouths. This can cause death by slowing their breathing and lowering oxygen levels in their blood. Drug enforcers theorize that dyes may help drug traffickers avoid detection with the drugs. They speculate that it may also be a way to tempt teens and young adults to take them. The claim that some of the colors have a stronger effect than others is a myth. 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.
Nearly 108,000 persons in the U.S. died from drug-involved overdose in 2022, underscoring the critical need for awareness and effective treatment interventions. Always prioritize your health and safety, and do not hesitate to reach out for help if you are dealing with fentanyl addiction or other substance use issues. Contact a treatment provider today to learn more about your treatment options. Fentanyl is 100 times stronger than fentanyl stance morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin (DEA, n.d.).
Why Do Fentanyl Users Bend Over?
The phenomenon of fentanyl users bending over is a visible manifestation of the drug’s powerful effects on the body. Understanding why this occurs sheds light on the severe impact of fentanyl on the central nervous system and highlights the urgent need for effective treatment and prevention strategies. Align Recovery Centers are dedicated to providing comprehensive care for individuals grappling with fentanyl addiction, offering hope and a path to recovery.
What to Do if You Think Someone Has Overdosed
Prescription fentanyl is available under such names as Actiq®, Duragesic®, and Sublimaze® in the form of tablets, an injectable liquid, lozenges and patches. Valley Spring Recovery Center is an approved provider for Blue Shield of California and Cigna, while also accepting many other major insurance carriers. Fentanyl affects people differently, depending on an individual’s size and overall health condition. Manufacturers use chemicals to make a substance with the same chemical structure as poppies to make fentanyl in a lab. Fentanyl stays in your system and can be detected by a drug test for 24 to 72 hours. Call an ambulance right away if you suspect you or someone you’re with may have taken an overdose.
Prevention Tips
There are two types of fentanyl – pharmaceutical fentanyl and illegally made fentanyl. Social media platforms have circulated images and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ videos of individuals exhibiting the fentanyl fold, sometimes accompanied by mocking or judgmental commentary. This online behavior exacerbates the stigma faced by those struggling with addiction, potentially deterring them from seeking help and perpetuating negative stereotypes. It can cause harm or death to people with opioid use disorders or who may have accidental exposure to the drug.
Professional & Community Services
Despite the evidence supporting these measures, however, local politics and funding priorities often limit whether communities are able to give them a try. Bold strategies are needed to interrupt the ever-increasing number of fentanyl-related deaths. Unfortunately, fentanyl’s high potency also means that even just a small amount can prove deadly. If the end user isn’t aware that the drug they bought has been adulterated, this could easily lead to an overdose.
Its potency and widespread availability have contributed to a dramatic increase in opioid-related deaths. Specifically, at least 80% of overdoses are due to non-prescription substances. This percentage may be even higher as fentanyl can easily be mixed with other drugs, often without the user’s knowledge, which has made it particularly dangerous. “Fentanyl Fold” describes the much more dramatic bending that occurs when people take Fentanyl in comparison to other opiates.
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- Instead, it’s becoming clear that it is a neuromuscular side effect of synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
- Read on to learn more about it and help protect your loved one.
- If the end user isn’t aware that the drug they bought has been adulterated, this could easily lead to an overdose.
- It works by blocking the effects of opiates to relieve dangerous symptoms caused by high levels of opiates in the blood.
Your doctor or pharmacist will show you and your family members how to use the medication. Ask your pharmacist for the instructions or visit the manufacturer’s website to get the instructions. If symptoms of an overdose occur, a friend or family member should give the first dose of naloxone, call 911 immediately, and stay with you and watch you closely until emergency medical help arrives. Your symptoms may return within a few minutes after you receive naloxone.If your symptoms return, the person should give you another dose of naloxone. Additional doses may be given every 2 to 3 minutes, if symptoms return before medical help arrives. LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 19, 2024) – Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is about 50 times stronger than heroin, making it an incredibly powerful drug.