Fentanyl intoxication occurs when a person takes too much fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is a prescription drug that is also made and used illegally. Illegally manufactured fentanyl is found in heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and in counterfeit pills. It is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper, more powerful, more addictive, and more dangerous. Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl.

Fentanyl intoxication can be deadly, and just 2 milligrams of fentanyl, equal to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, is considered a lethal dose. Signs of an overdose include small, constricted “pinpoint pupils,” an extremely pale face and/or a face that feels cold or clammy to the touch, a limp body, fingernails or lips that have a purple or blue color, and vomiting or making gurgling noises.

Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including fentanyl. If you or someone you know is at risk of an opioid overdose, speak with your doctor or pharmacist about obtaining naloxone to carry and keep at home. A prescription is not required.

In summary, fentanyl intoxication occurs when a person takes too much fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is often added to other drugs because of its extreme potency. It can be deadly, and signs of an overdose include small, constricted “pinpoint pupils,” an extremely pale face and/or a face that feels cold or clammy to the touch, a limp body, fingernails or lips that have a purple or blue color, and vomiting or making gurgling noises. Naloxone is a medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including fentanyl.