News / Education
Fentanyl Source of Drug Addiction
Doctors, practitioners and concerned citizens must demand very tough legislation when it comes to the control of this drug.
The wave of deaths began early in the year in the Mid-Atlantic states before spreading to the Midwest, with significant occurrences in Chicago and Detroit.
A spokesperson for the DEA warns:
"The legitimate medical use of fentanyl is for anesthesia and analgesia, but fentanyl's euphoric effects are highly sought after by narcotic addicts, fentanyl can serve as a direct substitute for heroin in drug dependent individuals. However, fentanyl is a very dangerous substitute for heroin because the amount that produces a euphoric effect also induces respiratory depression. Furthermore, due to fentanyl's increased potency over heroin, illicit drug dealers have trouble adjusting ("cutting") pure fentanyl into proper dosage concentrations. As a result, unsuspecting heroin users or heroin users who know the substance contains fentanyl have difficulty determining how much to take to get their "high" and mistakenly take a lethal quantity of the fentanyl. Unfortunately, only a slight excess in the amount of fentanyl taken can be, and is often, lethal because the resulting level of respiratory depression is sufficient to cause the user to stop breathing."Because individuals can unknowingly purchase heroin that is cut with fentanyl and not adjust the amount of heroin accordingly, this drug abuse trend is especially dangerous and worth taking note of.
Narconon has also received reports of deaths caused by individuals “eating” fentanyl patches.
Doctors, practitioners and concerned citizens must demand very tough legislation when it comes to the control of this drug. There should be no gaps between the manufacture of this drug and the intended patient. Penalties for selling this drug should be at the strictest and highest standards. Negligence is prescribing should be likewise penalized.
If someone is abusing this drug in particular, they should immediately be put into effective drug treatment.
All drug abuse is bad, and the situation with prescription drug abuse is way out of hand.
However, even within the bad circumstance of drug addiction, fentanyl almost stands alone in terms of inherent dangers.
Narconon of Georgia provides drug treatment and education for the entire southeast region.
Narconon Drug Rehab of Georgia is a non-traditional drug abuse treatment program.
