Fentanyl and its misuse, or accidental use, is something we have come across a great deal in our work with alcohol and drugs, so we thought we might shed a little on the subject. Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, finds itself at the centre of a worsening public health crisis, especially in the USA. Driving a significant spate of overdosing emergencies that transcend users irrespective of their socio-economic status, it demonstrates how high the stakes are evolving in opioid addiction or dependence.
This article seeks to shed light on the substance — revealing some of the science behind how Fentanyl works, scrutinising its hazardous potency, and highlighting its new and emergent role as a primary player in the ongoing opioid crisis. As we delve into these details, our aim is to increase awareness about this growing threat and underscore the critical need for more effective approaches to addiction intervention and prevention.
The rise of Fentanyl as a deadly opioid
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid and is generally considered by the treatment community as one of the biggest threats we have faced in years. It is causing incredible levels of destruction to people’s lives; it has soared to infamy in recent years due to its unprecedented surge as a primary agent in overdose deaths.
Essentially, Fentanyl is a prescription drug that was meant for chronic pain management in patients with advanced cancer and surgery; however, its potency has made it a popular substance for misuse, which has a huge downside as this ‘strength’ makes it potentially lethal, with a high risk of accidental overdose, even in tiny quantities, and especially when mixed with other drugs unknown to a user. As an example of this, we have seen many other drugs, including cocaine, ketamine, heroin, speed, molly or MDMA, cut with Fentanyl due to its low production price point.
This ongoing opioid crisis has led to a significant increase in overdosing emergencies related to opioids, with Fentanyl being a common culprit. Such a crisis necessitates an urgent and comprehensive recovery strategy, spanning from effective treatment methods and modalities for addicted individuals to concerted public health initiatives aimed at prevention. This includes lifting the societal stigma associated with substance misuse that leads to dependency disorders, which often deter affected individuals from seeking help. Many treatment protocols now include a combination of medication-assisted detoxification, counselling, peer support and long-term follow-up to prevent a relapse. However, the Fentanyl crisis requires a multi-faceted approach, encompassing policy change, law enforcement, and drug education, to address the underlying issues in order to stop this devastating trend of accidental overdoses and the significant impact it exacts on communities and individuals alike.
Understanding the potency of Fentanyl
This fairly formidable synthetic drug is up to a hundred times more potent than morphine and, like nothing we have seen in our history of treating those with substance issues. This alone makes it extremely lethal, particularly for new or unaware users who might overdose accidentally. Something we have seen first-hand is when a person thinks they are taking another substance in relative moderation and is unaware that it has been cut with Fentanyl.
Understanding the potency of Fentanyl is crucial to educating potential, existing and accidental users. For those who are using Fentanyl regularly, treatment and recovery from opioid dependency are complex processes that we are very experienced in here at The Beekeeper. However, society’s prevailing stigma often hinders us, which prevents people from seeking help and support. It is crucial to emphasise the fact that addiction is not a sign of a weak character or some sort of moral failing, as many people seem to feel. If we took a more affirmative approach, we could potentially encourage more individuals to seek help. “Support, don’t punish” is a favourite saying here at The Beekeeper.
Accidental overdosing on Fentanyl often occurs because users are unaware of its presence in substances they consume or they misjudge its potency. Extremely small amounts of Fentanyl can lead to fatal overdoses- a chilling testament to the urgent need for concerted action in minimising its accessibility and raising awareness about its risks. Progress in mitigating the issue of Fentanyl within the broader opioid crisis lies in the combination of education, proactive prevention strategies, policy changes, and efforts to end the stigma tied to addiction and support individuals on their path to recovery.
Fentanyl is often a key factor in overdose emergencies, meaning that even in very small amounts, ingestion or exposure can lead to fatal consequences. Unintentional overdosing commonly happens since Fentanyl is often mixed with heroin or cocaine to amplify these drugs’ effects or just bulk it up to increase cost savings by dealers. This is an alarmingly lethal and ongoing practice that users are often unaware of. As a result of this; it has put Fentanyl at the forefront of overdosing emergencies related to opioids.
During the research for this article, we spoke to a fellow provider of services in the USA, and they indicated they don’t even bother to test for it anymore, as they just assume it will be present and detectable. The surge in Fentanyl-induced overdose deaths underscores the depth of the opioid crisis and amplifies the urgent need to increase the availability of recovery and treatment options as well as increase current users’ knowledge of the risks they are taking as well.
The crisis of the use of opioids is ever-evolving. A study produced last year warned professionals about new and even more dangerous synthetic opioids. A group of novel synthetic opioids emerging in the United States may be more powerful than Fentanyl, a fact we find quite terrifying. They are supposedly 1,000 times more potent than morphine and thus may even require more doses of the medication naloxone to reverse an overdose. Nitazenes, the name of this family of opioids, are now being seen in emergency rooms, adding yet further concerns as a public health issue and furthering the arguments of hastening and access to treatment.
Comprehensive treatment, including medications and psychotherapy, proves effective for treatment for opioid use disorders. Importantly, we feel a wider distribution of Naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse opioid overdoses, should be prioritised. It is essential to remember that each statistic in this growing emergency represents a life that could have been saved with the appropriate resources, societal understanding, and less stigmatisation. We also believe that harm reduction services like Fentanyl testing strips can help users identify contaminated drugs, thus reducing the likelihood of an accidental overdose.
At The Beekeeper, we have decades of combined experience in the treatment of opiate dependency and misuse, specifically in how best to treat it and support individuals to build strong foundations for a successful recovery. Our approach is integrative in nature, with medical detox, intensive treatment and holistic care. We also offer treatment with Suboxone, which is an effective pharmaceutical detox medication for withdrawal symptoms. This is all overseen by our medical director and clinical team as a whole.
