How Fentanyl Is Accelerating the Opioid Epidemic
The opiate epidemic has been going on far too long. Dealers are putting Fentanyl in the most unsuspecting street drugs, one of which is marijuana. The idea behind lacing cannabis with Fentanyl would be to get the addict to experience a more potent, more euphoric high. Also, this gets the customer more addicted than when marijuana is used on its own. In return, the customer becomes more and more dependent on their dealer.
The second problem is prescription medications appear as if they are produced by their legal manufacturer, i.e., Xanax, Vicodin, Oxycodone, and Norcos (Hydrocodone), etc. As if those prescriptions weren't already creating enough O.D.s and addictions in their FDA-approved state, adding Fentanyl makes them more potent than Morphine. Any opioid/benzo user has either succumbed to mixing opioids and benzos or knows someone who has. It’s a deadly combo. I too allowed this dangerous pair to lead me to overdose. I’m just fortunate enough to be here writing this in hopes someone somewhere will see how pressing this issue is.
I have had a heaping dose of what it’s like to have Fentanyl unsuspectingly in my cocaine or even crack. Let me tell you it wasn’t fun at all! Immediately after using them, I was sent into convulsions, couldn’t stand upright, had buzzing in my ears, sweated profusely (almost like I just stepped out of the shower), with heart palpitations, very shallow breathing and INTENSE hallucinations. With my fair share of heroin and uppers, I had a very high tolerance to opioids and cocaine. I never would have thought this would have happened to me, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised since I was buying illegal drugs on the street.
The craziest part is it came from someone who I bought from for years. Someone I thought I could “trust.” Goes to show you that you never really know what you’re buying which is the risk of buying street drugs. Using these drugs, unlaced, is a risk. At the time, I never heard of lacing uppers with Fentanyl. Quite frankly, I didn't care at all. I never thought, oh, I wonder wha’s in this. I’m sure no addict ever has, just worried about the next high.
When my using buddies started hearing about this “gray death” (heroin, Carfentanyl, and Fentanyl together), they wanted to get their hands on it. (Carfentanyl is one of the many analogs of Fentanyl, used to tranquilize large animals, such as elephants.) Hearing about all these users dying from this combination even in small quantities they went to extensive lengths to obtain this deadly mix! But this is the reality of substance abuse. No addict stops to think, “will this be my last breath?” “Will my family ever see me again?” “Will I live to see another day?” It is unfortunate but true. It’s not just risking your life by doing the drugs you have no idea what you are buying. The withdrawals are life-threatening! People have had seizures, hallucinations, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and similar withdrawal symptoms to heroin. Fentanyl is not a subject to be taken lightly.
If you or anyone struggling from the grips of Fentanyl or any substance. Please don’t hesitate to call. Be at cause in ending the cycle of addiction.
Written by guest writer: Crystal S.
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