You should never use it unless it has been prescribed by a licensed medical professional who cares for you and is dispensed by a licensed pharmacy. When monitored and used as directed by your physician, it can effectively relieve severe pain. Yes, fentanyl is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance in the U.S. often originates from Mexico, China, and increasingly, India, according to the DEA.

Illegally made fentanyl smuggled into the U.S.

Unless the illegal drug is tested in a laboratory, there’s no way to know how much fentanyl it contains.

There is no official quality control with illegal manufacturers, and fake pills or other drugs often contain lethal doses of fentanyl.

Because of its potency and low cost, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills, cocaine, or crack, increasing the likelihood of a fatal interaction.

Adulterated drugs bought on the streets or online are often laced with fentanyl leading to overdose deaths.

These deaths rose by over 56% compared to 2019 and accounted for more than 82% of all opioid deaths.

In 2020, there were 56,000 overdose deaths due to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Opioids were involved in 68,630 overdose deaths in 2020 (74.8% of all drug overdose deaths).

You cannot tell if a pill, powder, nasal spray or injection bought off of the street contains a deadly dose of any drug just by looking at it. The fake pills may also contain fentanyl, or only contain fentanyl.

Illegal drug manufacturers create fake opioid pills to look exactly like the real ones. According to the CDC, man-made opioids like fentanyl are fueling the majority of overdose deaths in the United States.Įven though an online pill identifier might show that a pill bought on the street looks like a legitimate prescription pill because it has the same color, shape or imprint code, this is most likely NOT true. Ask your healthcare provider where you can get these strips.Īnother reason fentanyl is so dangerous is that many people are simply unaware of this ongoing threat. However, fentanyl test strips are available at certain health departments or syringe exchange programs, so you can test the drug you plan to use for fentanyl. There is no way to know how much illicit fentanyl may be contained in a drug you plan to use or how potent it is. When it's used in combination with other central nervous system depressants like opioids, alcohol or benzodiazepines, the risk of overdose and death multiplies.Fentanyl is often consumed unknowingly by users of street drugs leading to death. There is a significant risk that any illegal drug you buy on the streets, buy online, or that may be given to you is intentionally contaminated with fentanyl.When fentanyl is abused or taken in an overdose, this opioid can quickly be fatal because it is so potent and people are not used to its effects.

Fentanyl antidote