Perspectives On Rapid Fentanyl Test Strips As A Harm Reduction Practice Among Young Adults Who Use Drugs: A Qualitative Study
NARCAN® – Naloxone Nasal Spray
Each package contains one fentanyl test strip and instructions on how to use it. The participating organizations are handing out the packages at no cost. The campaign start coincided with the release of the Mayor’s Executive Order decriminalizing fentanyl test strips in Philadelphia. It was supported by many community dark web marketplace partners including Savage Sisters, The Everywhere Project, South Philly Punks with Lunch, and 24HRPHL. The campaign targeted areas that had seen an increase in overdoses as well as areas where people use drugs recreationally. Oregon is experiencing an influx of fentanyl in the form of counterfeit pills.
CDC Supports State And Community-level FTS Efforts
- A person can be dependent on a substance without being addicted, but dependence can sometimes lead to addiction.
- Naloxone should be administered at the first sign of overdose symptoms.
- Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.
- When people become addicted, drug seeking and drug use take over their lives.
Can You Buy Fentanyl Over the Counter?
By now, you may know a family shattered by the opioid epidemic. That’s more Americans than were killed in vehicle accidents or by firearms. One drug, fentanyl, is like rocket fuel in the sharp rise of the crisis. Fentanyl is a painkiller invented in the 1960’s and used to relieve the agony of advanced cancer. But today fentanyl can be ordered on the internet, by drug dealers and addicts, for an online overdose.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It is a Schedule II controlled substance, which means that it has a high potential for abuse and is available only through a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
Why is Fentanyl a Prescription Drug?
Fentanyl is a highly potent drug that can be dangerous if used improperly. It is often used to treat severe pain, such as pain resulting from cancer or surgery. Because of its potency, fentanyl can be deadly if taken in even small amounts by someone who is not tolerant to opioids. Therefore, it is important that fentanyl be prescribed and used under the close supervision of a licensed healthcare provider.
Finally, authorities shut down 31 pharmacies and seized more than 4,681 boxes of medication during recent raids in Ensenada, where officials said some of the pills probably contained fentanyl. The news reports and resulting law enforcement activity “caused a lot of problems” for the families of closed drugstores’ owners and employees, according to one worker at another Cabo pharmacy. In March, authorities in Mexico inspected more than 100 pharmacies in Los Cabos and nearby La Paz, closing nine in Los Cabos for a variety of violations. In June, another series of pharmacy raids in Los Cabos resulted in four arrests and the seizure of cash and nearly 25,000 pills.
Without testing, it’s nearly impossible to tell whether drugs are free of fentanyl. Fentanyl test strips are a simple, low-cost tool used to rapidly check for fentanyl in a batch of drugs — including in tablets, powders, and injectable liquids. The opioid overdose antidote Narcan will be available over the counter in the coming days, a move that’s hoped to increase access to the lifesaving medication amid the country’s worsening opioid epidemic. False positive results indicating the presence of fentanyl were obtained from samples of methamphetamine, MDMA, and diphenhydramine at concentrations at or above 1 mg/mL.
Can You Buy Fentanyl Over the Counter?
No, you cannot buy fentanyl over the counter. Fentanyl is a prescription drug that is only available through a licensed healthcare provider. It is illegal to possess or distribute fentanyl without a valid prescription.
What are the Consequences of Illegally Possessing or Distributing Fentanyl?
- Illegally possessing or distributing fentanyl can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
- Possession of even small amounts of fentanyl can result in felony charges.
- Distributing fentanyl can result in even more severe how to buy from darknet markets penalties, including mandatory minimum sentences.
FAQs
Is Fentanyl Available as a Patch or Lollipop?
Yes, fentanyl is available as a patch and a lollipop, but these forms of the drug are dark web pornos still only available through a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.