What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic type opioid drug which is often used to treat severe chronic pain .
it was created by Belgium physician Paul Janssen in the 1960's. The thing about Fentanyl is that its roughly 50-100 times stronger than morphine and is used to cut other drugs , people often press them into pills making them replicate other pain medication like Oxycontin. This is dangerous because opiate users are thinking they are buying something else but end up with Fentanyl which is a huge crisis here in Canada to the point that overdose reversal kits like Naloxone are being given out to the public and the education on how to use them. Most provinces in Canada provide the kits at pharmacies but I do know that in Newfoundland you would need to go to a mental health & addictions centers to acquire them.
My Issues with Fentanyl
The issues that I have with Fentanyl is that like I said earlier sometimes people don't know they are purchasing it which can have serious consequences. Have you ever wondered how someone addicted to opiates might think? Well, it's sad to say but often when a friend overdoses and it's fatal, as much as they mourn the loss they are looking for that batch. Thinking "Wow, that must of been some good dope if it killed Joe/Sally. I wonder where I can get it?" Sadly, it's true for a lot of people addicted to opiates. What hurts as well as that some dealers know what they have and are selling it to people with not so much as a guilty thought in their head about what could happen to the customer who uses it. If you are using opioid drugs please take extra precautions to ensure your own safety and the safety of others you can get test kits to see if your drugs have been laced with Fentanyl as well as places where you can go to get them tested. Remember you're not alone but help is here if you need it addiction services can be found at http://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/ Home test kits here http://testkitplus.com/product/fentanyl-test-kit
Photo credit: Opiate Addiction Resources