All illegal drugs are considered dangerous and have a negative impact on people’s lives. However, there are some that are particularly fatal and account for a large number of deaths each year; many people say opioids are the worst. Now, the most lethal and addictive opioid that people think of is heroin, and rightly so due to the volume of overdoses that occur. But, one that people don’t usually hear about is fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a type of opioid that that is incredibly potent and therefore extremely dangerous. As it is manmade, synthetic opioid, manufacturers are able to modify the drug so that it is between 50 and 100 times more potent than morphine according to the DEA. There has also been research to show that it is up to 50 times more potent than heroin, and it is no secret how dangerous heroin is!
Therefore, the deaths and publicity of fentanyl are starting to rise, and in recent times it has been reported that the drug played a part in the death of decorated musician, Prince. You may be wondering why exactly it is so dangerous, right?
Well, it acts similarly to all other opioids in that it attaches to opioid receptors within your system, and provides the consumer with an enhanced sense of euphoria in combination with a state of relaxation. However, the difference and its subsequent increase danger comes with its speed and potency.
It takes a very small amount of fentanyl to have the same effects as others at a much quicker rate. This is only made more dangerous by the illegality of the drug, as when its bought off dealers there is no definitive way to judge how much fentanyl the user is taking. So, the potency, speed and method of taking the drug means the chances of overdose is significantly higher.
There are also physical effects from fentanyl which can actually result in death. All opioids cause the persons breathing to become drastically slower, and in many cases it does so that much that the person stops breathing altogether. But once again, with fentanyl it is much more likely as you need a much smaller amount and its effects happen much quicker. Another common side effects to taking fentanyl is a condition known as ‘wooden chest syndrome’.
This is often fatal; during the slowing down of the respiratory system, the chest and abdomen muscles can tighten so much that they actually become rigid. Now, if the person actually stops breathing and requires CPR, the rigidity of the area can make it tremendously difficult for someone to perform CPR. Alongside all of these factors, the drug is known to be very addictive with a low-tolerance due it crossing the blood-brain barrier so speedily.
What this means is that people will start to need larger and larger doses in order to experience the same sense of euphoria. And, as such small doses can be fatal; larger doses can quickly result in overdose.
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