You’ve heard about fentanyl and its dangers. But it can’t affect you or your family, can it?
Better think again. A single pill laced with even a trace of fentanyl can kill, and the drug is appearing in more of the pills people consume every day.
When physicians began prescribing opiates to treat post-surgical pain, patients were quick to adopt them. But when the demand exceeded the supply, the search began for synthetically produced alternatives.
Synthetic opiate fentanyl was a cheaper solution that was easier to mass-produce. The challenge: It’s 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. A tiny dose of fentanyl — just two milligrams — is lethal.
The Fentanyl Crisis
Unfortunately, what began as a prescription medication issued in controlled doses is now a black-market drug. Synthetic fentanyl is mass-manufactured in China, transported to Mexico, and incorporated into (or even deceptively marketed as) other substances.
People overdose on fentanyl without realizing they took it. They may think they’re using Adderall, Xanax, or hydrocodone, but often, it’s a toxic dose of fentanyl posing as one of these products. The counterfeit pills are indistinguishable from the real medications available at your local pharmacy.
Seven out of 10 pills seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) today contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.
One Pill Can Kill
The amount of fentanyl in counterfeit pills is often several times the lethal dose of the medication.
We’ve seen pills laced with eight milligrams of fentanyl (four times the lethal dose), as well as pills that are only part fentanyl. (Test strips can check pills for fentanyl content, but if the portion of the pill tested is the part without fentanyl, it won’t appear in testing.)
In other cases, half a pill may have a low dose of fentanyl, and the other half may have a lethal dose.
The alarming result is that people who’ve never used a non-prescribed drug or who had no intention of getting high are inadvertently ingesting fentanyl. And as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says, one pill can kill.
Perhaps a young adult wants a Xanax to help them chill at a party or an Adderall so they can study all night for exams. But the pill they casually accept may contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Fentanyl is as addictive as oxycodone, but what’s most frightening is the threat of potential death from a single fentanyl-laced pill.
Fentanyl overdose is responsible for seven in 10 U.S. drug overdose deaths, making it the leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 45. Its use is also escalating among teens aged 14 to 17 across all socioeconomic classes. Nationwide, 200 people die each day from an unintentional fentanyl overdose.
When Fentanyl Hits Close to Home
Six years ago, fentanyl didn’t even make the list of Indiana’s top five illicit drugs. Today, it’s number two, surpassing even marijuana.
Officers addressed 68 cases of fentanyl use in 2014, according to data from the Indiana State Police labs. In 2019, it was 845. In 2023, it surged to 1,875 cases, second only to the use of methamphetamines.
Even within our practice, patients’ family members and friends have experienced fentanyl incidents. We must have important conversations — with parents, grandparents, and their teen and 20-something kids — about fentanyl’s prevalence, what to look out for, and how to avoid danger.
Our primary caution: If that pill didn’t come from a pharmacy or a dispensary, don’t assume it’s safe. Even if your best friend gave it to you, don’t ingest it.
I encourage parents to have open discussions with their children and reference excellent resources like the DEA’s Faces of Fentanyl campaign. Share stories about people of all ages who’ve experienced a fentanyl overdose.
The DEA’s One Pill Can Kill website depicts authentic Adderall or oxycodone pills vs. pills that contain fentanyl and demonstrates how a dose as tiny as the tip of a pencil can be lethal.
Keep Narcan Spray on Hand
As a physician, I recommend that patients keep nalaxone (Narcan) spray at home or at the office, just like I do. It can be life-saving in the event of an accidental opioid overdose by neighbors, friends, family, or coworkers.
Narcan is an opiate antagonist, meaning it blocks the opiate receptor, reversing overdose. In an overdose situation, a victim may vomit, appear dizzy, drowsy, confused, or have dilated pupils. They may stop breathing or be unresponsive to your touch. If you suspect an overdose, you can easily and safely administer Narcan spray. If the situation ultimately proves not to be an overdose, Narcan will have no ill effects.
I encourage every parent with kids ages 10 to 30 to request Narcan spray from your pharmacist. It’s available without a prescription, no questions asked, for about $45. Keep it in your medicine chest, and encourage teens or young adults to carry the spray with them — it may be an essential resource in an overdose situation.
Knowledge Is Power
An accidental fentanyl overdose can happen to anyone, whether they’re enjoying a gathering, studying into the wee hours, or trying to relieve pain.
At Priority Physicians, we believe knowledge is power. We’re always available to chat, especially with teens and young adults, about fentanyl, other narcotics, and their potential effects.
Stay in touch. Let us know how we can help.
