When we hear about Fentanyl, many of us just know this as a bad street drug. You are not wrong. But by bringing awareness of fentanyl and its dangers we can be more affective in our safety measures as well as how to avoid it altogether. Fentanyl is a powerful pain medicine made in laboratories (synthetic opioid). Doctors may prescribe it to treat severe pain. Illegal fentanyl is often mixed into street drugs like heroin, cocaine, and meth. Or it may be added to fake pills made to look like prescription medicines.Fentanyl is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine. This means that even a small amount can lead to an overdose, which could be deadly. Illegal fentanyl has added to the rise in overdose deaths in North America.Illegal fentanyl often comes as a powder or pressed into a pill. It can also be a liquid. An overdose can occur if you swallow, snort, or inject fentanyl.
Why is fentanyl so dangerous?
Fentanyl is fast-acting and very strong. It’s also fairly cheap and easy to make. That’s why it’s often used as a filler in fake prescription pills or street drugs. If you use street drugs or fake pills, you run a significant risk of introducing fentanyl into your system without knowing it. This could quickly lead to a deadly overdose.
What are the signs of an overdose?
A person who has overdosed on fentanyl may be very sleepy or pass out (lose consciousness). You may notice other signs such as:
- Very small (pinpoint) pupils in their eyes.
- Slow or shallow breathing, or not breathing.
- Gurgling or choking noises.
- Cold, clammy skin.
- Blue or purple lips and nails.
- A limp body.
- A slow or weak pulse.
What can you do if someone has overdosed?
- Naloxone is a medication used as a opioid antagonist. If you have naloxone, give it as quickly as possible. This medicine can reverse the effects of an overdose if it’s given soon enough after an overdose happens. Follow the instructions that come with the medicine. You may need to give a second dose. (You can give naloxone even if you’re not sure the person has overdosed. It won’t hurt them.)
- Call 911 or other emergency services right away. Stay with the person until help arrives.
- Try to keep the person awake and breathing. Perform rescue breathing if needed.
- Place the person on their side. This can help prevent choking and help them breathe.
How can you help prevent an overdose?
If you or someone you’re close to uses opioids or street drugs, these ideas may help protect them:
- Know the signs of an overdose, and act fast. For example, a person who has overdosed will often be very sleepy and breathe slowly. The pupils of their eyes may be very small. They may pass out or stop breathing. Quick action could save a life.
- Always have a take-home naloxone kit on hand. Naloxone can reverse a fentanyl overdose if it’s given soon enough.
- You can get a naloxone kit without a prescription at most drugstores or through a community Take Home Naloxone program.
- Make sure that others know that you have a kit and that they know how to use it.
- Be careful about the medicines you take. Only take medicines that were prescribed for you and that come from licensed pharmacies. Avoid pills sold through social media or apps. Products sold online as medicines like Adderall, OxyContin, or Xanax are often fakes. And many are tainted with fentanyl.
- If you use drugs, take extra care to stay safe.
- Try not to use alone. If you do use alone, ask someone to check on you.
- If you’re using in a group, take turns. Get one person to stay alert and have naloxone on hand.
- Go to a supervised consumption site. This is a place where you can safely use drugs in the presence of trained medical staff.
- Be cautious. Use smaller amounts, and take more time between doses. And be extra careful if you’re using in a new setting.
- Try to avoid injecting drugs. Snorting or smoking may be safer.
- Don’t combine substances that make you sleepy, like opioids and alcohol, sleeping pills, or benzos (benzodiazepines). Combining them decreases your breathing rate. This can lead to overdose or death.
- Test drugs before you use them. There are test strips that can find fentanyl in a small sample of a drug. Some clinics, drugstores, and outreach programs provide these test strips for free. You may also be able to buy them.
Fentanyl use in North America is in a critical state. Our goal at Can-Am Interventions is to bring awareness in hopes to educate the people who are suffering with addiction(s), and for the people in their lives. There are times that people who overdose using drugs have a chance to survive this ordeal. Not so much with Fentanyl. Fentanyl is a different animal altogether. It is far less forgiving than any other drug when users come into contact with it. If we can get ahead of this problem, or at the very least to be prepared for the inevitable if this drug is used (naloxone, Safe using sites…), then we can prevent many unnecessary overdoses that ultimately lead to death. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction please seek the help that they or you deserve. Addiction is a very complicated matter to face alone. It is a very complicated matter even when not faced alone. Having a support system such as friends, family or even co-workers is a very crucial part of managing and overcoming addiction. But it is strongly recommended to introduce professional help. By introducing an experienced and educated third party, we are then assuring a more likely chance of success to the addict. It is very easy to misunderstand this addiction and to treat it improperly. Ideally we do not want the addict to try to make these changes only to feel like they are incapable of making this change. So it is crucial to come out of the gate with all the necessary tools on hand to assure success. Can-Am is here for you. Call us today to discuss any concerns that you may have. We hope for the opportunity to assist you.
E: patti.pike@canaminterventions.com W:www.canaminterventions.com
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