Fentanyl Addiction on the Rise in Tennessee
Many years ago, when I first started treating opioid addiction I had no idea the number of people who needed treatment. My opening a Suboxone clinic in Nashville, TN stemmed from a passion to help people in the same ways I had been helped with my opioid addiction. Fentanyl addiction wasn’t a term on anyone’s radar back then.
I had suffered from opioid addiction. Opioid addiction literally destroyed my life so slowly I could barely see it happening. Over time, opioids (oxycodone pain pills) became the most important thing in my life.
Pain pills became more important than family, friends, security, love, everything. Having enough pills was the only thing that really mattered to me, and it mattered a lot.
I had watched my oldest brother die from opioid overdose only 4 years after taking his first hydrocodone pill. Oxycodone and OxyContin became his “drug of choice” almost overnight, replacing alcohol and cocaine completely.
100mg of oxycodone and 80mg of OxyContin were being prescribed to him legally, so in his eyes he could see nothing wrong with his taking of prescription pain pills. “A doctor is prescribing these to me, so it must be okay.”
After opioid addiction destroyed his marriage, his two teenage sons and his business, he moved into the attic of a friend’s home and became a full-time addict. He used to crush his oxycodone pills and snort them.
At one time he was snorting the equivalent of 26 Percocet pills per day, and I’m pretty sure it got much worse before his death. He was getting a lot from multiple doctors, but also turned to buying pain pills on the street. I can’t even imagine what a fentanyl addiction would have looked like on him. He never seemed to have enough pills.
One evening in 2005 he snorted too many crushed oxycodone pills, went to sleep and never woke up. The cause of death on his death certificate listed “respiratory failure due to opioid overdose”.
Just like that he was gone in an instant, leaving behind two teenage sons, an ex-wife, two brothers, a mother and father, and a void that can never be filled. He is still missed daily.
My brother was the extreme. He always pushed things to the limit. If fentanyl addiction had existed in his time, I’m sure he would have found fentanyl and become addicted to it in an instant. The people who try fentanyl get addicted to fentanyl. It’s just that strong.
Fentanyl is 50 to 100 Times Stronger than Morphine
As if oxycodone, heroin and OxyContin weren’t enough, fentanyl addiction has taken over as the drug of choice on the streets, but not necessarily knowingly. Fentanyl is believed to be the cause of more opioid-related deaths than any other opioid.
We know fentanyl addiction is growing, but is that the primary reason for the record-number of overdoses? Or, is something else at play here?
- 80,411 — Reported deaths from opioid overdose in 2021
- 16,000,000 — Individuals who currently suffer from opioid addiction
- 500,000 — People in America are addicted to fentanyl via heroin or “fake pain pill” use
Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Who is At High Risk for Fentanyl Addiction?
Heroin users are at the greatest risk of fentanyl addiction because heroin as of late is technically fentanyl in disguise. While fentanyl addiction is especially risky for those suffering from heroin addiction, fentanyl addiction is now prevalent with pain pill users AND benzodiazepine users.
Fake Opioid Pills and Fake Benzodiazepine Pills are Being Manufactured with Fentanyl
People buying on the street what they believe are prescription pain pills are at risk of receiving what the DEA calls “Fake Pain Pills”. There are illegal labs in other countries creating fake oxycodone pills amongst other fake pain pills that look nearly identical to their legitimate counterparts.
Fentanyl is Being Found in All Sorts of Pills
Fentanyl addiction is now occurring in people who aren’t buying pain pills on the street. Rather, they are buying fake Xanax pills and fake Valium pills that have either been laced with fentanyl, or were manufactured illicitly with fentanyl in them.
Illicit Drug Users are Unknowingly Getting Addicted to Fentanyl
People unknowingly taking and overdosing from fentanyl has become an unwanted trend as of late. Many agencies such as the DEA are beginning to see most every type of prescription pain, anxiety pill, and even marijuana containing fentanyl.
Apparently, most street drugs are now being laced with fentanyl in an attempt to make already illicit substances more addictive. No wonder we have a growing crisis with fentanyl addiction.
What people used to call heroin is now fentanyl. Just two grains of salt worth of fentanyl is considered a fatal dose. Fentanyl is so strong that calculating a safe dosage is nearly impossible.
Just one grain of salt worth of fentanyl could easily contain the equivalent of 100–200mg of oxycodone, making it especially dangerous for people with lower opioid tolerances who unknowingly take a fake Xanax pill laced with fentanyl.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
Morphine is extremely powerful. Heroin is even stronger. And yet, fentanyl makes both morphine and heroin seem like aspirin by comparison. At 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine, Fentanyl is deadly-strong. That makes fentanyl the most deadly opioid in the world. Well, almost.
Drug Dealers Bragging About Overdoses?
Did you know that some drug dealers brag about the number of overdoses their product has caused? It’s sick and twisted, and it’s true.
Dealers of illicit street drugs often brag about overdoses (and even deaths) caused by their product in an effort to prove their product is stronger and more worthy than that of their competitor’s.
“The worst part is, there’s no way of knowing what’s been laced with fentanyl until it’s too late.”
Pharmaceutical Fentanyl
Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a prescription drug that is used to treat severe pain. It is often used in cancer patients and other patients who have chronic pain that cannot be managed with other pain medications. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is available in a variety of forms, including patches, lozenges, nasal sprays, and injectable solutions.
Illegally Made Fentanyl
Illegally made fentanyl is produced in clandestine laboratories. It is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. This makes it difficult for users to know how much fentanyl they are taking, which can lead to fentanyl addiction and overdose.
FYI: Clandestine labs are not a temperature-controlled, OSHA-approved facility that’s monitored by the FDA. Often these are open-air labs, haphazardly created in the middle of the jungle.
Fentanyl addiction can lead to respiratory depression which can lead to death. Even a small amount of fentanyl can be fatal (two grains of salt), especially if it is mixed with other drugs, which it often is.
Fentanyl Addiction — Overdose Symptoms
The symptoms of a fentanyl overdose can include:
- Slowed breathing
- Blue lips and fingernails
- Confusion
- Drowsiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Death
If you think someone is overdosing on fentanyl, call 911 immediately.
Treatment for Fentanyl Overdose
The treatment for a fentanyl addiction overdose is naloxone — a medication that can reverse the effects of opioids. Naloxone is available as a nasal spray or an injectable solution.
Preventing Fentanyl Overdose
There are a number of things you can do to prevent fentanyl overdose:
- Do not take fentanyl unless it is prescribed by a doctor.
- Be aware of the signs of a fentanyl overdose.
- Carry naloxone with you if you are at risk of overdosing.
- Educate yourself about the dangers of fentanyl.
Fentanyl addiction is dangerous, but it is possible to avoid it. By being aware of the risks and taking steps to prevent overdose, you can help to protect yourself and your loved ones.
In addition to the dangers of overdose, fentanyl can also cause a number of other health problems, including:
- Respiratory depression
- Hypotensio
- Bradycardia
- Seizures
- Coma
- Death
Fentanyl is extremely addictive. Users who take fentanyl (even unknowingly) can gain a fentanyl addiction in a very short period of time due to its tremendous strength.
Nitazenes: The New and Most Dangerous Opioid in the World
Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioids that are up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl.
They were first developed in the 1950s, but they were never approved for medical use. In recent years, nitazenes have become increasingly popular among drug users, and they are now a major contributor to the opioid overdose crisis in the United States.
What are Nitazines?
Nitazenes are a group of synthetic opioids that are structurally related to fentanyl. They are often referred to as “frankenstein opioids” because they are often created by combining different fentanyl analogs. Nitazines are extremely potent, and even a very small amount can be fatal.
How are Nitazines Used?
Nitazenes are often used as a substitute for other opioids, such as heroin, just like fentanyl. They are also sometimes pressed into pills that look like other prescription drugs, such as oxycodone or hydrocodone. This makes it difficult for users to know how much nitazene they are taking, which can lead to overdose.
If you or someone you know is dealing with fentanyl addiction, get help today.
Nashville Addiction Clinic has been working to help those with a fentanyl addiction for many years, and has developed a process for transitioning patients to the much safer Suboxone medications with minimal discomfort.
Nashville Addiction Clinic provides same-day appointments every Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 4:30pm. We provide an easy, step-by-step process for people who have TennCare Medicaid insurance, commercial insurance, or those with no health insurance.
Simply click one of the options below to end your fentanyl addiction and begin your road to recovery today:
