Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate typically prescribed for cancer patients with severe pain. It has evolved into the next prominent drug on the streets, posing fatal consequences all across North America.

The risk of overdose is tremendous and can occur within seconds.

What many people are not aware of is that this drug can be laced with heroin, cocaine or oxycodone, exponentially boosting potency by 50-100 times & making it more toxic than morphine.

Opioid overdoses have an impact on our society and should be addressed in a national and immediate manner.

Facts about Fentanyl:

• Canada has the largest rate of prescriptions for fentanyl.
• The illicit version of fentanyl is manufactured in China and smuggled into Canada.
• It is typically laced with heroin, cocaine or oxycodone exponentially boosting potency by 50-100x.
• Opioid carfentanil (veterinary opioid) is now making its’ way on the streets & is up to 100 times more toxic than fentanyl.
• It’s sold in pill or powder format and the average user is spending $300+ per day.

Substances Laced with Fentanyl:

Several of the popular street drugs have been found to be laced with fentanyl leaving this substance potentially undetected.

This poses a tremendous concern for addiction rehabilitation as treatment and diagnosis are negatively impacted. According to Health Canada, Fentanyl is often combined with substances such as heroin, cocaine & MDMA to increase potency.

Fentanyl is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, making it convenient for drug dealers to spike other substances and create counterfeit versions of drugs.

Unfortunately, recreational drug users are completely unaware they are ingesting the potent painkiller, resulting in overdose and death.

An additional danger lies in those that are not regular opioid users & inadvertently abusing the drug, as this creates a much greater risk of overdose or death.

A relatively small amount is considered potent and users are essentially playing Russian roulette with the laced substances.

Fentanyl Stats in Canada:

The number of deaths from fentanyl is on the rise each year all across the country.

Reports show staggering numbers of misuse and overdose deaths occurring at regular intervals.

British Columbia declared a public health emergency after overdoses killed 200 people in the first three months of 2016.¹

Between 2009 and 2014, there were at least 655 deaths in Canada where fentanyl was determined to be a cause or a contributing cause.

This represents an average of one fentanyl- implicated death every three days over this time period.¹

Within the last six years, the number of deaths involving fentanyl in Canada’s four largest provinces has increased markedly ranging from almost doubling to an increase of over 20 times.

Drug users know how to readily obtain the drug and will resort to any means necessary for this elusive high.

It is widely known that Canada and the U.S are fighting an opioid crisis.

From overdose and addiction to irregular dissemination, it’s becoming an increasingly large issue both locally and abroad.

In Ontario, the number of deaths related to prescription opioid overdoses increased five-fold from 1991 to 2004. Recent media reports suggest that the numbers are still climbing. Studies have found that prescription opioids are now the street drug of choice in large Canadian cities.¹

Though the drugs are used for a myriad of reasons, there are arguments against any type of long-term use.

While these drugs are effective in treating acute pain, and pain near the end of life, the evidence to support long-term use in patients with chronic pain is weak, and for many people, the harms exceed the benefits.

Prescription opioids are also highly addictive and easily misused.