Fentanyl

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid originally developed for medical use in severe pain management, such as post-surgical care, cancer pain, and end-of-life treatment. In clinical settings, fentanyl is administered in forms like transdermal patches, lozenges, injections, and nasal sprays. Even in its legitimate pharmaceutical form, fentanyl is 50–100 times more potent than morphine, making dosage control critical and misuse extremely dangerous.

Illicit fentanyl, now widespread in the drug supply, is produced unlawfully in powder, tablet, or counterfeit pill form. It is often mixed with heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine—or pressed into pills made to resemble legitimate medications—without the user’s knowledge. This extreme potency and unpredictable contamination make illicit fentanyl a leading cause of overdose deaths. It can be snorted, smoked, ingested, or injected, and even tiny dosing errors can be fatal due to rapid respiratory depression.

Because fentanyl appears in so many adulterated street drugs, its detection is a major priority for workplaces (particularly safety-sensitive roles), courts, treatment programs, and community health initiatives. Rapid toxicology tests are increasingly incorporating fentanyl-specific assays to identify exposure early and support life-saving interventions.

Effects:

• Extreme pain relief

• Profound sedation or drowsiness

• Euphoria followed by heavy “nodding”

• Slowed breathing (respiratory depression)

• Constricted “pinpoint” pupils

• Nausea or vomiting

• Confusion or disorientation

• Severe drowsiness leading to unconsciousness

• High risk of dependence and withdrawal

• Overdose that can rapidly lead to respiratory arrest and death