Adolescence is the time in life where people seek thrills and thrive off the feeling of an adrenaline rush. A primary source of thrills for teenagers are drugs.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is significantly more potent than morphine. While it can be used in medical settings for pain management, it is also associated with a high risk of overdose and addiction. Illicitly produced fentanyl, often mixed with other drugs, has been a significant contributor to the opioid crisis, leading to numerous deaths due to its potency. Its strength makes it dangerous, as even small amounts can have severe and potentially lethal effects.
The effects of fentanyl are intense and rapid, causing an immediate sense of euphoria. Unfortunately, there is a fine line between a therapeutic dose and a lethal dose, which makes accidental overdose a huge concern. Respiratory failure is a dangerous consequence of its use, and can lead to fatal outcomes. The illicit production and distribution of fentanyl have contributed to a surge in opioid-related deaths.
Naloxone is a medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose, including fentanyl. If you have access to naloxone, administer it according to the provided instructions.
The mortality rate at which fentanyl overdose is skyrocketing, and one of the reasons is due to the minimal amount of milligrams it takes to meet death. “Over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.”
In addition to its life-threatening doses, fentanyl is easily accessible, with countless drugs being unknowingly laced with the deadly opiate. Its agents now are laced with the opiate and are being sold on every corner. The synthetic opioid has raided the streets of Santa Clarita, with its pernicious potency and a common agent in drugs, it is beneficial to one’s life to avoid drugs entirely.
Numerous spikes have occurred in the United States. The drug has specifically had a spike amongst U.S. children and teens: “More than 5,000 children and teens have died from overdoses involving fentanyl in the past two decades.” These statistics are continuously growing due to teens unknowingly purchasing fentanyl-induced substances. Teens intend to purchase a drug but unknowingly consume fentanyl in the process.
Parents and guardians must educate themselves on the lethal effects of fentanyl and even prescribed drugs that must be kept away from the proximity of a child. “There were about 1,550 pediatric deaths from fentanyl in 2021 – over 30 times more than in 2013.”
Fentanyl’s alarming potency and potential for misuse has made it a significant contributor to the ongoing opioid crisis, leading to countless overdoses and fatalities. Its rapid increase of lethal street drugs, mortality rates, and harm to individuals has revealed the critical need for increased awareness, education, and safety measures to address the consequences of its illicit use.
