The Shocking Truth About Fentanyl: How This Powerful Drug Is Killing More and More People

Many people have never heard of the drug Fentanyl, but it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular drugs in America. In fact, it’s even stronger than Heroin and its street name, China White, is starting to become well-known as well. The strength and popularity of this drug are enough to make you wonder, what exactly is Fentanyl? And as if that wasn’t concerning enough, you may be shocked to find out how easily Fentanyl can be made at home and how little it takes to overdose on this potent drug.

When I found out that my sister Bianca died of an overdose, I was shocked. Even more surprising was the cause—she overdosed on fentanyl, a drug many people in the United States may not have heard of before. Fentanyl, however, has been around since the 1960s, when it was developed as an anesthesia drug to make surgery painless. In fact, it’s 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin.

What is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful pharmaceutical drug that is used as a painkiller. It is prescribed as an opioid for patients who are experiencing severe pain. The drug is about 100 times more powerful than morphine, and it only takes 2 milligrams of fentanyl to kill someone. In some cases, users can overdose on fentanyl without even realizing it because the drug is so potent.

Fentanyl has caused many deaths in the United States over the last few years due to its potency and easy availability of the drug. Unlike other types of drugs, fentanyl is considered to be widely available across different communities. A study published by the Centers for Disease Control found that between 2013 and 2014, there was a 700% increase in the number of people who died from overdosing on heroin laced with fentanyl. And the newest numbers from 2021 claim that the leading cause of death for ages 18-45 is Fentanyl. The numbers are skyrocketing by the daily, it’s become an epidemic.

Heroin dealers often cut their product with fentanyl or mix heroin with fentanyl powder to produce stronger highs and maximize profits. The growing popularity of this cheap alternative to heroin means that it will continue to wreak havoc on our country until we take serious steps towards eliminating the supply of these dangerous drugs.

What Happened to My Sister

My sister Bianca was 27 years young, very vibrant and full of life, but she also suffered from a few health issues that caused her a lot of pain. Like many others my sister turned to Roxicodone, which is an opioid painkiller prescribed by doctors for extreme pain. She bought Roxicodone (aka "Blues") off the streets to help manage her pain. The problem with buying pharmaceuticals on the streets these days is that they are being laced with fentanyl. So, on the day my sister died she was just trying to manage her pain like any other day only this day the pills most likely had too much fentanyl and they killed her.

Just look at Prince. He died from one of his medications. It was a pharmaceutical drug that turned out to be laced with fentanyl. Honestly, I just never thought this would happen to my sister. We hear about this happening to people on the news and or in the movies, but when it’s your own family there is this surrealness about it all. It drives me to want to know more and create awareness because we don't know enough, and our loved ones are paying the price. I feel a responsibility to speak up and tell everyone so that we can save the ones we love. The ones that are susceptible to falling victim to this killer drug.

Who Can Get Addicted?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that can be used as an analgesic. It's usually prescribed for pain relief, but it has become a national epidemic. People who take fentanyl as instructed can experience dependence, but people who have previously been addicted to other drugs are at the highest risk of addiction.

Fentanyl is addictive because of its potency. The more you take, the higher the chance of addiction. If you or someone you know is taking fentanyl, make sure they know about the risks and don't take more than prescribed.

Tackling the Crisis

In order to combat fentanyl, we need to expand treatment availability and access. The problem is that addiction is seen as a personal choice or a moral failure in our society. Some people even believe that addicts are choosing their addiction by deciding not to participate in rehabilitation programs or by committing crimes. That’s just not true! Research has shown that addiction is a chronic brain disease with genetic components that typically lasts for over ten years. Addiction impairs the addict’s ability to make rational choices about their lives and health, so it makes no sense for us to treat them like criminals when they have made such poor decisions because of their condition. We can help them instead of punishing them!

Saving Lives

Naloxone is a medication that inhibits the action of an opioid in a person’s body. When administered, it binds to opioid receptors in the brain, preventing the drugs from reaching them. Naloxone is usually injected or given as a nasal spray to someone who has overdosed on opioids. It works very quickly, often within seconds of being injected. The injection of naloxone can prove to be a life-saving agent.

I found out about fentanyl when I found out it was the cause of my sister’s death. That was when I started researching fentanyl and its effects. I learned how potent this drug is, how many people are dying every day due to it, and how difficult it can be for emergency personnel to save lives because there isn't enough naloxone available.

What's even worse is that now other opiates are laced with fentanyl, so we don't know what's killing our loved ones until they're gone.