Drug Information
Understanding Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, significantly stronger than morphine. It is commonly used in medical settings for pain management, especially in patients with severe pain, such as those undergoing surgery or with advanced cancer.
Learn more about responding to suspected drug overdoses on OHA’s Naloxone Rescue for Opioid Overdose webpage (link). Watch a video on How to use fentanyl test strips from Prevent Overdose-Rhode Island. It’s Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, “It’s not your fault!” and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list. The only way to be sure your fentanyl is real is to get it prescribed by a doctor.
However, due to its potency, fentanyl is also associated with a high risk of overdose, especially when misused. Consequently, many individuals find themselves asking, “can I buy fentanyl?”
Medical Use of Fentanyl
If you come across someone who might be experiencing an overdose, it is safe to help them. We encourage people to review the instructions on using naloxone (PDF) to treat someone experiencing an overdose. Fentanyl is an opioid medicine that has medical uses for pain control in both humans and animals. If misused, fentanyl can cause a person’s breathing to slow and stop; this is often called an “overdose.” If breathing stops, a person can die.
Do not take these or any other pills bought on the street – they are routinely fake and poisonous, and you won’t know until it’s too late. Only take prescribed medicines purchased over-the-counter at a pharmacy. Consider carrying Naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses fentanyl overdoses. It must be introduced into the bloodstream or a mucus membrane in order for someone to feel the effects. While there are fentanyl patches that can be placed on the skin for pain management, this is not the formulation that’s cut into other substances. You can still get fentanyl test strips shipped to you if you are not located in Rhode Island.
Research by the Washington State Department of Health reveals that individuals using fentanyl test strips take steps to reduce their risk of overdose. Fentanyl is a powerful, fast-acting opioid that increases the risk of overdose. Very often, it is mixed in with other drugs, such as heroin, coke, crack, and pressed pills, and is very difficult to detect. As a result, fentanyl in illicit drugs changes the landscape of opioid overdose dramatically. Testing drugs for the presence of fentanyl using fentanyl test strips can lower overdose risk. Learn more about fentanyl, how dangerous it is, how to use fentanyl test strips, and their limitations.
They may be selling cocaine and also selling opioids or fentanyl. If they’re doing that in their home, it’s not like being in a regulated laboratory where pharmaceutical drugs are being made, packaged, and distributed. Even a little bit can get cross-contaminated if you’re using the same surface to cut, bag, or weigh a substance.
Fentanyl is available in various forms, including:
“As they’re progressing to fentanyl, they’re gonna have to use it more often in order to manage that withdrawal.” “It’s nice to not have to use your veins or not inject, and so a lot of people would prefer not to be doing that,” Kral said. “I think we’re going to see more and more people smoking fentanyl than injecting it.” What’s more, experts said, people are increasingly moving from injecting fentanyl to smoking it.
- Patches
- Lozenges
- Injectables
Fentanyl produces effects such as relaxation, euphoria, pain relief, sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, pupillary constriction, and respiratory depression (you could stop breathing). We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. “Usually by the time somebody is transitioning to fentanyl, they’re already needing to use pretty consistently throughout the day to feel normal, to not be in withdrawal,” Kast said.
It is only legally available through prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. This ensures that the medication is used appropriately and safely.
Risks of Buying Fentanyl Without A Prescription
Purchasing fentanyl without a prescription poses significant risks:
- Legal Consequences: Buying or possessing fentanyl without a prescription is illegal in many jurisdictions.
- Health Risks: Illegally obtained fentanyl may be mixed with other substances, increasing the risk of overdose.
- Lack of Quality Control: Without regulations, the potency and purity can vary drastically.
Where Fentanyl is Most Frequently Encountered
- In British Columbia, Canada, fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased over 600% from 2014 to 2016, with fentanyl being detected in 67% of all overdose-related deaths in 2016 compared to 25% in 2014 [16].
- Below is a lethal dose of heroin compared with lethal doses of carfentanil and fentanyl.
- The reversing agent is administered through a nasal spray reversing the effect of an opioid overdose, in particular, fentanyl.
- Overdose deaths have spiked dramatically, and the reason is clear.
- Fentanyl test strips are dipped into drug residue dissolved in water.
Outside medical settings, fentanyl is often found:
- On the black market
- In counterfeit pills
- Mixed into heroin or other illicit drugs
This illicit use heightens the danger associated with fentanyl, leading to a spike in overdose deaths across various regions.
FAQs About Fentanyl
Can I buy fentanyl legally?
No, you cannot buy fentanyl legally without a prescription from a qualified healthcare provider.
What are the signs of fentanyl overdose?
Signs include:
- Extreme drowsiness
- Inability to wake up
- Slow or stopped breathing
- Blue tint to lips or nails
What should I do if I suspect an overdose?
If you suspect an overdose, immediately call emergency services. Administering naloxone may also help reverse the effects of an overdose if available.
Conclusion
While understanding fentanyl can be critical for those in need of pain management, the question “can I buy fentanyl?” should be approached with caution. Only acquire this substance through legal, medical channels to avoid legal repercussions and minimize health risks.
