Carfentanil is more dangerous than fentanyl. Fentanyl is more dangerous than heroin. All of these drugs are dangerous can kill you. Heroin has been around for decades. It has ruined the lives of addicts and has torn families apart. Since 2013, a stronger opiate called fentanyl has plagued the streets of Vancouver and many other cities. Over the past 6 months in Vancouver, it has made an appearance. This is a state of emergency.
Why are carfentanil and fentanil used by street drug suppliers?
Fentanyl and carfentanil are frequently mixed into street drugs because they are cheaper and more accessible to suppliers than other opiates like heroin and oxy. Reason being is they are synthetic opiates / man-made opiates. Synthetic opiates are easier to produce than sourcing opium from natural sources like the opium poppy.
How can someone overdose from man-made opiates like carfentanil and fentanyl?
Man-made opiates like carfentanil and fentanyl produce a high that is similar to heroin and morphine. Sometimes drug users will opt for fentanyl as their drug of choice. Sometimes drug users don’t know they are consuming these powerful opiates and portion themselves their usual dose of their drug of choice. This is what makes the risk of fatal overdoses so high.
What kinds of street drugs contain carfentanil and fentanyl?
Improper dosing of carfentanil has lead to hundreds of deaths from overdose. Since street drugs are not regulated, suppliers can put whatever they want in them. Street drugs are not safe. Common drugs that are laced with carfentanil and fentanyl include:
- heroin
- oxy
- morphine
- dilaudid
How easy is it to get carfentanil into Canada?
Due to the potency of carfentanil, only a tiny amount is needed for drug smugglers to get through Canadian Border Services. Since less of this deadly drug is needed, it is becoming more desired to smuggle it than other opiates. We can expect to see it continue to be smuggled in alongside fentanyl and heroin.
How dangerous is carfentanil and how strong of an opiate is it?
The fact is that any street drug, marketed as opiate or not, can contain carfentanil. Even non-opiates can become contaminated with it. Here are some potency comparisons that clearly show how dangerous carfentanil is:
- 100 times more potent than fentanyl
- 4,000 times more potent than heroin
- 10,000 times more potent than morphine
Less than a grain of salt is the lethal dose of carfentanil.
So what is carfentanil’s original purpose? It is used to tranquilize elephants and other large wildlife. It is never used on humans in any medical setting due to how powerfully toxic it is.
Is there a counter agent for someone if they are having a carfentanil overdose?
Since this drug is so potent, counter agents that work on fentanyl and heroin like NARCAN and Nalaxone are simply not strong enough to save someone from a carfentanil overdose. Increasingly, first responders are using multiple doses of these antidotes to save people. Sometimes overdoses are fatal, even with treatment. This is also true with heroin, fentanyl and other opiates.
How widespread is the carfentanil problem?
Our city, Vancouver, (and surrounding areas) is in a state of crisis, and not just the Downtown East Side (DTES). There are more and more seizures and carfentanil related deaths across Canada. Here are a couple articles for further reading:
Carfentanil death toll is on the rise. Discover the chemical makeup of this powerful opiate.
Expect the rate of deaths to rise as more and more people who are currently addicted to street drugs or even those who are casually experimenting with these risky substances succumb to an early and tragic death. You can get more information on the chemistry makeup on PubChem.
What kind of treatment options are there for carfentanil and other drug addictions?
So many lives have been lost from carfentanil and other drugs. We are an alcohol and drug addiction treatment centre for women. Help us to stop these tragic deaths. If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs, we can help. If you or someone you know is casually using street drugs, it is important to know the risks. Together we can stop the cycle of death and loss that confronts us today and plagues our streets and community. Whatever substance is being consumed, even alcohol, we have professional staff ready to help. Please contact us before it’s too late. 1-800-801-8354
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