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Research & Reports, Substance Use
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One Pill Can Kill – Get the Facts About Fentanyl

Do you know where your pill or powder came from? Unless you got it straight from the pharmacy, it could contain a lethal dose of fentanyl.

What is fentanyl? What makes it dangerous? Why is it killing teens?

Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, is causing a growing public health crisis. People, especially young people, are dying at alarming rates due to fentanyl poisoning, yet few people know the facts. While May 9 has been officially designated National Fentanyl Awareness Day, any day is the right time to draw attention to and increase awareness of fentanyl and its dangers, especially among the most vulnerable population: youth and young adults.

All of the information below is drawn directly from the National Fentanyl Awareness Day website. Read up, and share the facts widely to protect yourself, your friends, and family from death by fentanyl poisoning.

What Is Fentanyl? (FEN-ta-nyl); rhymes with PILL

Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid.

  • POTENT: Up 50x stronger than heroin and 100x stronger than morphine. A few grains of sand worth can be lethal.
  • SYNTHETIC: Not plant-based. Made in a lab.
  • OPIOID: Pain reliever like oxycodone, morphine and heroin.

​Facts About Fentanyl

  • Fentanyl is often found in non-pharmaceutical-made pills that look like, and are sold as, oxy, percocet, xanax, vicodin, cocaine and more.
  • Fentanyl is extremely potent. As little as two milligrams of fentanyl, an amount equal to two grains of sand, can kill a person.
  • Illegally made fentanyl is the primary driver of the recent increase in all U.S. overdose deaths. Deaths by fentanyl poisoning have skyrocketed in recent years. According to the CDC, fentanyl is involved in more deaths of Americans under 50 than any other cause of death, including heart disease, cancer, and all other accidents.
  • Any “prescription” pill you don’t directly get from a pharmacy, or any powder form drugs purchased from a friend/drug dealer, may contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Real prescription drugs are not available on Instagram or Snapchat. These drugs are not regulated.

Why Does It Matter?

  • Fentanyl is very cheap and extremely addictive. Drug dealers are dangerously mixing illegally made fentanyl w​​ith, and disguising it as, other common drugs like oxy, percocet and xanax to increase profits. This process is not regulated and does not undergo any kind of quality control. Drug users have no way of knowing what they are getting in illegally-purchased drugs, and as little as two milligrams of fentanyl (two grains of sand) can kill a person.
  • Fentanyl is everywhere: an estimated 250-500 million pills made with fentanyl are in circulation in the U.S. at any time. This doesn’t even account for powder drugs made with fentanyl such as cocaine, MDMA (molly/ecstasy), or heroin.
  • The practice of cutting drugs with fentanyl is relatively new, so public awareness is low. Educating the public about this crisis is the first step to reversing the tragic outcomes.

Youth Are Dying from Lack of Information

  • This is a national public health crisis. People, especially young people, are ingesting illegally manufactured fentanyl without knowing it and dying at alarming rates as a result.
  • Fentanyl-involved deaths are fastest growing among 12-23-year-olds.
  • Among teenagers, overdose deaths linked to synthetic opioids like fentanyl tripled in the past two years, yet 73% have never heard of fake prescription pills being made with fentanyl.
  • Fentanyl is being integrated into almost all forms of street drugs. It has been widely detected in all of the following drugs: Fake Pills (including but not limited to) – Percocet, Oxycontin, Norco, Xanax, Vicodin, Valium; Other Drugs – Heroin, Cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy, Molly), Methamphetamine
  • Mental health is a key factor: 86% of youth 13-17 are overwhelmed and 79% say anxiety and stress is a common reason to misuse medication. Learn how to notice symptoms and support young people struggling with mental health challenges.

Remember, one pill can kill. Learn much more at the National Fentanyl Awareness Day website. Educators, check out Fake & Fatal: One Pill Can Kill, a set of free downloadable resources created by the Beaverton School District for middle and high school students. Students, if you are struggling with your mental health, reach out to CASSY on campus. We are here for you.