Sydney Edwards

Health 1050

8/1/17

Fentanyl Abuse

In recent years the opioid epidemic has grown in the U.S., this is mainly due to the

abuse of fentanyl. Fentanyl is medically used as a narcotic to treat long-term pain from

conditions like cancer. It is classified as a opioid analgesic and is often used in a patch form

when prescribed. Although there is medical reasons to use fentanyl it is a very dangerous

drug to abuse. According to Vice News, In Cincinnati they had over 174 people overdose on

fentanyl in six days. That number is horrifying and the abuse needs to stopped. Fentanyl is

50 to 100 times more potent that morphine and is chemically similar to large animal

tranquilizers. That is what makes it such a dangerous drug.

Like most drugs that get abused the start out with good medical intentions. Dr. Paul

Janssen developed fentanyl in 1956 and was quickly adapted by the medical world because

of it potency. It was used as an intravenous anesthetic in the 1960s under the name of

Sublimaze. Eventually fentanyl was made into a patch form of use to help deal with pain.

The patch was effective because it would slowly release the medicine into the bloodstream

over two or three days. Today the patches are still available today as well as a fentanyl

lollipop, lozenge, and a spray.

Fentanyl use became popular on the streets back in the 1980s when cocaine was on

the rise and opioids were becoming less popular. This caused the main focus of drug

control to cocaine. This allowed for two different opioids to breakthrough a purer and
inexpensive form of Mexican heroin called black tar and synthetic drugs made from

fentanyl. The forms of drugs derived from fentanyl was known and sold under the street

name China white. By-products of fentanyl and other designer drugs werent illegal

because the chemical make-up wasnt similar to heroin. This came to stop in 1986 when the

Controlled Substance Analogue Act made any drug with a chemical structure similar or has

the same effects as a pharmaceutical controlled substance is illegal.

What is adding to the dangers of an already dangerous drug is that fentanyl is being

added to heroin or made to look like counterfeit painkillers like oxycodone. This results in

people overdosing because they are unaware that they are taking fentanyl and can easily

overdose or have a bad reaction to the drugs. This isnt only dangerous for the users but for

law enforcement as well. Police officers are in constant contact with drug abusers/dealers

and illegal drugs. Even the smallest amounts of fentanyl can be deadly to an adult. A few

weeks ago I saw a news story about a police officer that was searching a suspects car and

came in contact with a powdery substance on the back seat. Unknowingly the substance

got onto the officers skin. The officer was rushed to the hospital and almost died because

the substance turned out to be fentanyl and he absorbed it through his skin. That story was

shocking to me and is what inspired me to do my report on fentanyl.

The financial gain for drug cartels also is a big reason why fentanyl is popping up all

across the drug world. When producing heroin you need to harvest poppy fields but with

fentanyl or fentanyl derivatives all you need is basic chemical knowledge. To produce a

kilo of fentanyl or heroin it can cost between $3,000-$4,000. Even though the production

cost is similar a kilo of heroin sells for around $60,000 when sold by the gram. Fentanyl can
be sold in smaller amounts to more people increasing the dealers profits. It can also be

diluted and added to other drugs making dozens of kilos that can result in billions of dollars

in profit. When manufactured into pill form a single pill can sell for around $20-$30.

Cartels have taken advantage of fentanyl many uses and have started mass

production of fentanyl or buying it from other countries like China. They are able to get it

either from a pharmaceutical company or illicitly made. Since they are getting it from

outside sources the cartels dont know exactly what they are getting or selling. I dont think

that its a huge concern to the cartels of what contents are in their fentanyl as long as they

are making a profit off of it. This results in the users not being fully aware of what they are

taking as well and as mentioned before has deadly consequences.

Like in many cases of drug or alcohol abuse you can tell when a person starts to

deteriorate and their health becomes at risk. Also like other to support their addiction they

start committing crimes like robbery, fraud, and stealing anything to support the deadly

habit. Fentanyl is easy to build a tolerance to so it will cause the abuser to use more and

more of the drug since they most likely wont develop that same level of high as they did a

couple of days before. Some of the side affects of using fentanyl include lethargic,

mellowness, euphoria, and drowsiness.

There are many ways to tell if someone youve come across has overdosed on

fentanyl. The person may show the following symptoms like: Extreme sleepiness,

unconsciousness, pinpoint pupils, confusion, weakness, dizziness, low blood pressure,

extremely slowed heart rate, slowed breathing or not breathing, bluish tint to lips and nails.

The most dangerous of those overdose symptoms are the effects on the heart and the

abusers breathing. The results can easily lead to death and permanent damage if not

treated immediately. One of the results is the user can develop hypoxia from the lack of

oxygen which then can lead to permanent brain damage. That is why it is so important to

call 911 immediately if you come across someone in this state, keep them awake, and make

sure they are in a up right position.

While the effects of overdosing on fentanyl is scary it can be treated if the abuser is

reached in time and given the opioid antagonist Naloxone or the long lasting form of it

known as Naltrexone. Naloxone works because it is structured to fit into the receptor sites

of the opioid like fentanyl and heroin thus stopping the overdose effects. Today many law

enforcement agencies carry doses of Naloxone with them because of the number of

fentanyl and other opioid related overdoses. With fentanyl being such a big drug epidemic

its good to know that there is something that can counter act the effects of the over dose if

administered in time.

Coming clean and stopping the abuse of fentanyl can be a long and hard process for

the abuser. Depending on the tolerance that the individual has they either need to be

slowly weaned off of fentanyl or detoxing before completely stopping to lessen the with

drawl symptoms or they can stop completely which isnt recommend unless supported by

a medical professional. With drawls from fentanyl can cause the abuser to experience

tearing up, yawning, sweating, insomnia, hypertension, dilated pupils, anorexia, muscle
weakness, high heart rate, anxiety, and stomachaches. These symptoms can occur just a

few days after stopping but eventually level off in a week. Since opioids like fentanyl

disrupt dopamine levels the abuser may also have issues with depression and difficulties

experiencing pleasure, which may cause them to go through drug cravings to help with

those psychological issues.

Rehabs can help those individuals by providing them with nutritional, physical, and

emotional help to help them successfully become clean long term. If the abuser is able to

go through a detox program they may have the option to participate in either a residential

or outpatient program. The detox program is know as a medical detox and the abuser is

helped out by medical professionals and mental health supports. Detoxes are shorter than

rehab programs and tend to last only five to seven days or even ten days depending on the

individuals needs.

Fentanyl has become a big issues in the United States in the recent decades and is a

deadly opioid that needs to be controlled and understood in order to help those who suffer

from the abuses of it. I hope in the next couple of years that the abuse of fentanyl will

become less of a epidemic.

 Sources:

http://drugabuse.com/library/fentanyl-overdose/

http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/fentanyl-signs-symptoms.html

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-6253/fentanyl-transdermal/details#

https://news.vice.com/article/americas-new-deadliest-drug-fentanyl

Drugs, Behavior, Modern Society Eighth Edition. Author: Charles F Levinthal,

Published: Pearson 2014. Pages 126 and 129.