What is Fentanyl?

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is an opioid that can be mixed with other substances. When taken by someone without tolerance to opioids, fentanyl can rapidly cause someone to stop breathing and die. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The DEA has stated that they believe 100% of the counterfeit pills being sold online contain fentanyl.

What does Fentanyl do?

Fentanyl works on opioid receptors in the brain to decrease pain throughout the body. Fentanyl can also make people feel euphoric, confused, sedated, tired, dizzy, constipated, and nauseous, and it can decrease their rate of breathing.

Why is Fentanyl so dangerous?

Fentanyl is more potent than other opioids, even in small quantities. A few grains of fentanyl can cause death from an overdose, and because it is colorless and odorless, it is difficult to detect it without testing. Fentanyl is a major contributor to drug overdose deaths. Based on preliminary 2021 data, there were 6,843 opioid-related overdose deaths in California; 5,722 of these deaths were related to fentanyl. In 2021, there were 224 fentanyl-related overdose deaths among teens ages 15–19 years old in California.

What are Fentanyl test Strips?

Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in all different kinds of drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.) and drug forms (pills, powder, and injectables). Remember that no test is 100% accurate, and your drugs may still contain fentanyl even if you receive a negative result.