• What is fentanyl?
• Street Names
• How is it taken?
• What are the effects?
• What are the dangers?
• Is it addictive?

What is fentanyl?

• Fentanyl is a pain reliever.
  
• It was first synthesized in the late 1950s and was introduced into medical practice in the 1960s as an intravenous anesthetic. Today, fentanyls are extensively used for anesthesia and pain relief.
  
• Fentanyls are used as a patch for chronic pain management, and are effective in treating pain in cancer patients.
  
• To date, over 12 different analogues of fentanyl have been produced clandestinely and identified in the U.S. drug traffic.

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Street Names

"Apache", "China girl", "China white", "dance fever", "friend", "goodfella", "jackpot", "murder 8", "TNT", "Tango" and "Cash"

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How is it taken?

• Fentanyl is most commonly injected, but can also be smoked or snorted.

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What are the effects?

• The biological effects are indistinguishable from those of heroin.
  
• Fentanyl may be hundreds of times more potent than heroin.


• Can bring about a state of euphoria and drowsiness.

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What are the dangers?

Dangers can include:

• Respiratory depression and arrest.
  
• Nausea.
  
• Confusion.
  
• Constipation.
  
• Sedation, unconsciousness and coma.

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Is it addictive?

It is not considered an addictive drug like cocaine, heroin or alcohol because it does not produce the same compulsive drug-seeking behavior. However, like addictive drugs, fentanyl produces greater tolerance in some users who take the drug repeatedly. These users must take higher doses to achieve the same results as they have had in the past. This could be an extremely dangerous practice because of the unpredictability of the drug effect on an individual.

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