Agony of Fentanyl Abuse

1. Agony of Fentanyl Abuse Agony of Fentanyl Abuse Powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl – responsible for causing a number of overdose deaths – is also used as an anesthetic. Owing to its pain-relieving properties, medics use it for various therapeutic purposes. As the drug traffickers got a whiff of its potency, they started manufacturing and procuring fentanyl illegally and supplying it to the street drug market. It is used to adulterate heroin or cocaine to increase the level of pleasurable effects. Since 2013, cases of drug involving fentanyl have jumped by over 500 percent. It was responsible for around deaths United States in 2016, driving even the casualties due to heroin in the process. makes the matter worse is people overdosing on such designer drugs are less responsive to antidotes, the first line of treatment carried by first responders. Since some of the analogs of fentanyl are way too powerful, even effective antidote naloxone fails in reviving overdose victims in some cases. As per an analysis, naloxone may not work in the case of acryl fentanyl. overdose 20,000 in the What that Fentanyl versus heroin Fentanyl is a powerful anesthetic which is 50-100 times more potent than morphine and 30- 50 times more potent than heroin. Even a small dose of it may prove to be lethal for its user. However, in a comparison between the two deadly drugs at the New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory, it was found that 3 milligrams of fentanyl are equivalent to 30 milligrams of heroin. Importantly, as most of the adulterated products are made clandestinely in local labs, there is no accounting what goes into it. Moreover, the drug dealer is more concerned about reaping profits out of these labs lacking the necessary equipment and expertise for making a less deadly mix. As the texture of heroin is quite similar to fentanyl, someone who has purchased the drug from a street vendor has no way to distinguish between them. According to Tim Pifer, Director www.sovfl.com

2. of New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory, a person who consumes a drug without knowing its constituents is injecting himself or herself with a loaded gun. The difference in potency between heroin and fentanyl is primarily due to the distinctions in their chemical structure. Chemically, fentanyl is able to easily pass through the abundant amount of fat in the brain compared to heroin and morphine. Moreover, it clings to the receptor so tightly that even a small amount can surge opioid effects. Even high-profile celebrities with the drug-seeking habit are usually unaware of the repercussions of fentanyl; therefore, they end up consuming the dangerous analogs of fentanyl. As per reports, late pop star Prince thought he was on popular prescription painkiller Vicodin, but it has now come to light that his untimely demise was caused due to fentanyl. Though both the drugs bind to the same mu opioid receptors in the brain, fentanyl binds faster and stronger in comparison to heroin. As fentanyl binds more tightly to the receptors of the brain, the victim requires a higher dosage of overdose antidote to minimize the risks of an overdosing accident. Restricting illegal fentanyl use It can be dangerous to quit drugs cold turkey, as the patient may experience painful opioid withdrawal. One of the effective ways to wean off fentanyl is through another opioid like methadone. The tapering process is not customized according to the severity of addiction or the level of dependence on the drug. It also takes into account factors like whether the individual had been abusing other drugs or alcohol. Another major step in the process of recovery from addiction is detoxification, which expunges the stored toxins from the body. Sovereign Health of Florida, one of the leading treatment facilities for substance abuse and mental health in the U.S., provides customized and evidence-based treatment options to patients. Our world-class fentanyl addiction treatment centers provide holistic treatment to those seeking relief from addiction and other behavioral problems. For more information on our unparalleled fentanyl rehab FL and fentanyl detoxFL, call our 24/7 helpline number (866) 217-5527. www.sovfl.com