Fentanyl & Synthetic Drugs
Education Code 48985.5 requires school districts to inform parents annually about the dangers of synthetic drugs, such as fentanyl, and to post the information on its website.
From the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S.
There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illegally made fentanyl. Both are considered synthetic opioids (made in a laboratory). Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, especially after surgery and for advanced-stage cancer.
However, most recent cases of fentanyl-related overdose are linked to illegally made fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets for its heroin-like effect. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive, and more dangerous.
Illegally made fentanyl (IMF) is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder.
Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Drugs mixed with fentanyl are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs contain it.
In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies.
From the US Drug Enforcement Agency:
With the growth of social media and the proliferation of smartphones, a dangerous and deadly new drug threat has emerged: criminal drug networks are abusing social media to expand their reach, create new markets, and target new clientele. This includes by selling deadly fake fentanyl and
methamphetamine pills, often to unsuspecting teenagers, young adults, and older Americans, who think they are buying the real thing. No longer confined to street corners and the dark web, criminal drug networks are now in every home and school in America because of the internet apps on our smartphones.
