This Post Is Recently Updated on Nov 14, 2023 @ 10:18 am by TBB Desk
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, poses a significant threat to health due to its extreme potency. It is associated with a range of severe and potentially deadly side effects such as constipation, respiratory distress, muscle rigidity, unconsciousness or sedation, seizures, and overdose. Overdoses are particularly dangerous as they can lead to symptoms like small, constricted pupils, a loss of consciousness, weak or absent breathing, choking sounds, a limp body, cold and clammy skin, and discolored skin on the lips and nails.
The risk of fatal respiratory depression is a major concern with fentanyl use, especially when it is ingested accidentally, such as by children, leading to fatal overdoses. Illegally manufactured fentanyl, often sold on illegal drug markets, has been linked to a significant number of harm, overdose, and death cases in the U.S. It is sometimes mixed with heroin or cocaine to increase its euphoric effects, frequently without the user’s knowledge.
The danger of fentanyl is amplified by its ability to depress the respiratory system at higher doses, causing decreased breathing which can result in death. This danger is exacerbated by its potency; fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, making even small amounts potentially lethal.
Why is US trying to ban FENTANYL?
The U.S. is endeavoring to ban illicit versions of fentanyl because of its high potency and its significant contribution to the opioid epidemic and related deaths. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and is highly addictive, with legitimate medical use primarily for intense cancer pain management. However, chemists, particularly in China, have created numerous modified versions of fentanyl, also known as analogues, that have flooded U.S. streets and are associated with a high number of overdose deaths — nearly 500,000 over two decades. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been working to combat these illicit substances by classifying them as Schedule I drugs, indicating they have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse
