What it is and what it is used for
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid which is used in clinical practice as analgesic (with similar effects to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more powerful) and how anesthetic.
Like morphine, it is a drug used, under very strict medical supervisionto treat the severe painespecially in surgery, traumatology and oncology.
Sometimes, always on medical prescription, it is also used to treat patients with chronic painful pathologiesif resistant to other opioids.
Side effects
L’distorted opioid use (as of others) can result very serious effects on healthtill death.
Fentanyl (and its derivatives) causes in humans opioid-like effects which: sedation, drowsiness, mental confusion, miosis, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizzinessi, up to slife-threatening conditions such as rapid respiratory depression, unconsciousness, coma and death.
Also small doses they can be lethal.
L’inhalation of dust it is the most insidious route of exposure, typical of illegally manufactured fentanyl.
Illegally produced (including in nasal sprays)
Fentanyl can be used a voluptuous purpose using both products distracted from the pharmaceutical market and clandestine products distributed through illegal drug markets (it is associated with drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine ed), as is explained in «National prevention plan against the improper use of Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids» recently adopted in Italy.
Illegally produced, fentanyl And available on the market in different forms, including those liquid and powder. In its liquid form it can be found in nasal sprays and eye drops.
Deaths in the United States
The United States is a primary market for numerous transnational drug trafficking organizations, which continue to supply the country with cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), i deaths from synthetic opioids I am increased dramatically since 2013 reaching around 73 thousand in 2022, mainly due to fentanyl.
In Italy
Currently in Italy there is no emergency from fentanyl. For exampler prevent and combat the risk of the opioid being used illegally for non-health purposes, Our country has a “National Prevention Plan against the improper use of Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids” with specific prevention and enforcement actions.
