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Fake prescription pills that are widely accessible can contain deadly doses of fentanyl. They are often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms — making them available to anyone with how to buy cocaine online a smartphone, including teens and young adults. Texans should only take legitimate pharmaceutical medications prescribed by medical professionals and dispensed by pharmacists in the U.S.

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The most effective treatment for opioid addiction include medications. There are three FDA-approved medications for the treatment of fentanyl addiction; methadone and buprenorphine are the most effective and have been shown to save lives. Most people who use fentanyl daily will develop physical dependence to fentanyl and will experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop using it suddenly. These withdrawal symptoms can be very severe and include severe body aches, sweating, anxiety, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and strong cravings for opioids.

• These are just a few examples of collaborations between PNNL experts and DHS, industry, and communities to improve detection equipment and methods used by emergency responders to sniff out fentanyl analogs and other dangerous opioids.
• As a powerful synthetic opioid, a fentanyl use disorder is typically treated with MOUD—Medication for Opioid Use Disorder.
• If you would like more information or a naloxone training for a group/agency, reach out to the Regional Overdose Prevention Specialist (ROPS) who serves your area.
• After a connection is made, the seller and buyer will transition to more secretive apps where messages either delete after sending or come encrypted to discuss the terms of the transaction.

Counterfeit prescription medications, such as a fentanyl-laced Xany-bar or counterfeit Xanax, were reportedly made at a “pill mill” or illegal pill press. Opioids, including heroin, prescription pills and fentanyl, have caused the most overdose deaths in Texas, according to a Texas Health and Human Services report that studied death certificate data from 2010 to 2019. The illicit use of fentanyl began increasing in Texas around 2015, quickly sparking a crisis. Obtained with a doctor’s prescription, the synthetic opioid can be an effective pain reliever. To understand the pervasiveness of fentanyl use in New York City, McKnight and her colleagues conducted surveys and in-depth interviews in 2021 and 2022 with people who inject drugs. In the 313 surveys and 162 interviews, participants were asked about their drug use, including whether they used fentanyl intentionally in the last month, and their experience with overdoses.

Do People Buy Fentanyl? A Comprehensive Guide

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. It is a prescription drug that is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, such as those with advanced cancer. However, fentanyl is also illegally manufactured and distributed, often mixed with other drugs such as heroin or cocaine.

(The difference with the table above is because here we ignore antidepressants.) For deaths involving heroin but not synthetic opioids, 15% had none of these other drug types present. As noted in the table above, there are also large differences in the presence of methamphetamine and cocaine, alone or in combination with other drug categories. The group with other synthetic opioids but not heroin appears to be more likely to also have alcohol, barbiturates, and/or benzodiazepines (ABB) listed on the death certificate than the heroin-only group.

You can now buy illicit fentanyl on Washington’s streets for as little as 50 cents a pill. Consider carrying Naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses fentanyl overdoses. Learn more about responding to suspected drug overdoses on OHA’s Naloxone Rescue for Opioid Overdose webpage (link). There is a fatal overdose in Colorado every 4 hours, 45 minutes and 9 seconds.

Who Buys Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is often bought by individuals who are seeking a more potent high than what they can get from other drugs. It is also sometimes used as a cutting agent to mix with other drugs to increase their potency and profitability. Fentanyl is often sold on the street in pill or powder form, and it can also be found online.

Illegal Online Marketplaces

Illegal online marketplaces, also known as “darknet” markets, are websites that operate on the dark web and are accessible only through special software. These marketplaces how to start a darknet market often sell illegal drugs, including fentanyl. Buyers can purchase fentanyl using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, and the drugs are typically shipped through the mail.

Risks of Buying Fentanyl

Buying fentanyl illegally is extremely dangerous for several reasons. First, it is difficult to know exactly what you are getting when you buy drugs on the street or online. Fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, and it can be difficult to determine the correct dosage. This can lead to accidental overdoses and death.

Fentanyl Overdoses

Fentanyl overdoses are a major public health concern in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 36,000 people died from synthetic opioid overdoses in 2019, and fentanyl was involved in the majority of those deaths. Fentanyl overdoses can cause respiratory depression, which can lead to coma and death if not treated promptly.

Prevention and Treatment

Preventing fentanyl overdoses requires a multi-pronged approach. This includes increasing public awareness of the risks associated with fentanyl, expanding illegal dark web access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and improving access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a proven effective treatment for opioid use disorder. MAT involves the use of medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies. MAT can help individuals manage their cravings and reduce their risk of relapse.

Naloxone

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. It works by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain and restoring breathing in overdose victims. Naloxone is available in several forms, including injectable, nasal spray, and auto-injector. It is important to note that naloxone only works for opioid overdoses and will not reverse overdoses caused by other substances.

FAQs

• What is fentanyl? Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent.
• Who buys fentanyl? Fentanyl is often bought by individuals who are seeking a more potent high than what they can get buy money on the dark web from other drugs. It is also sometimes used as a cutting agent to mix with other drugs to increase their potency and profitability.
• What are the risks of buying fentanyl? Buying fentanyl illegally is extremely dangerous for several reasons, including the difficulty of knowing exactly what you are getting and the risk of accidental overdose.
• How can fentanyl overdoses be prevented? Preventing fentanyl overdoses requires a multi-pronged approach, including increasing public awareness of the risks associated with fentanyl, expanding access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and improving access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.

In conclusion, while fentanyl is a legitimate prescription drug used to treat severe pain, it is also illegally manufactured and distributed, often mixed with other drugs. Buying fentanyl illegally is extremely dangerous and can lead to accidental overdoses and death. Preventing fentanyl overdoses requires a multi-pronged approach, including increasing public awareness of the risks associated with fentanyl, expanding access to medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and improving access to naloxone, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses.