What Is Fentanyl and Why You Should Care?
Authorities in the UK have been discovering heroin mixed with Fentanyl and it is now cropping up in more areas. This deadly drug has been in the news in the US and Canada for the past few years and while it is not new to the UK, this year we are seeing a sharp increase in fentanyl-related overdoses in several counties.
The Office of National Statistics reports that 3,744 people were killed by drug poisoning in 2016. Contributing to half this number are the people who have died from opiates, including those laced with fentanyl.
Fentanyl Linked to Over 60 Deaths So Far This Year
A rash of incidents this past year has raised an alert amongst authorities. One example being the four people who died in South Yorkshire last spring, with another two deaths following the next day in West Yorkshire. According to a representative from Public Health England the majority of overdoses involving fentanyl and carfentanyl are in the Humber and Yorkshire region. A recent report from the National Crime Agency states that fentanyl has been linked to at least 60 deaths in the UK since December of 2016.
Why Traffickers are Pushing Fentanyl
The early reports were of fentanyl being mixed with heroin in order to cut costs for the dealer and provide a stronger high for their customers. More recently fentanyl is being found in cocaine supplies, as well as MDMA, marijuana and Xanax counterfeited by drug dealers. Dealers have little scruples as to what and how much they are combining in the drugs they sell, so there is no way to predict which batch could contain a deadly dose.
Another danger is that fentanyl comes in several forms which vary hugely in their effects and toxicity. Fentanyl, while highly toxic, is 50-100 times more potent than heroin or morphine, which means just .0002g of the drug could be fatal. The analogue Carfentanyl can be up to 10,000 times more potent than heroin, meaning just .00002g could be a lethal dose.
The only way to ensure someone is safe from this threat is sobriety. At Narconon UK we have helped countless individuals overcome addiction to opioids and other drugs. At first, the addict may feel it is hopeless to attempt a life without drugs, but after recovering from the toxic effects of these drugs and a building a new set of life skills, they can truly begin a new drug or alcohol-free life.
When someone is abusing opiates, the time to act is now, as their next dose could be fatal. The actions you take could very well save a life.
