Sacramento County Opioid Coalition
Sacramento County Opioid Coalition
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    • What are Opioids?
    • Fentanyl
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    • Naloxone
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    • Hear to Heal
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  • More
    • Home
    • About
    • Resources
      • What are Opioids?
      • Fentanyl
      • Get Help
      • Naloxone
      • Pain Management Directory
      • Medical Personnel
      • Presentations
    • Programs
      • Hear to Heal
      • Gone too Soon
      • Naloxone Training
      • Anti-Stigma Campaign
    • Events Calendar
    • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
  • Resources
    • What are Opioids?
    • Fentanyl
    • Get Help
    • Naloxone
    • Pain Management Directory
    • Medical Personnel
    • Presentations
  • Programs
    • Hear to Heal
    • Gone too Soon
    • Naloxone Training
    • Anti-Stigma Campaign
  • Events Calendar
  • Contact Us

Fentanyl

What is Fentanyl?

Synthetic opioids are the cause of increasing opioid overdose deaths. Significantly stronger in concentration and often hidden from consumers, fentanyl has a rapidly growing street presence in Sacramento. 


Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used as an analgesic (pain relief). It is known to be 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl produces similar effects to other opioid analgesics including

  • sedation
  • relaxation
  • euphoria
  • confusion
  • drowsiness
  • dizziness
  • nausea and vomiting
  • respiratory depression


It can be taken orally by pill, snorted/sniffed, smoked, injected, spiked onto blotter paper, and used through patches, and is most commonly found laced in illicit substances on the street. Fentanyl cannot be detected by sight, taste, smell or touch.

Learn More

Want to learn more about opioids?

Find out more

For the average person, a LETHAL dose of fentanyl is 2 milligrams.

Fentanyl Exposure FAQ

Can you overdose from touching fentanyl?

What should I do after being exposed to fentanyl?

Can you overdose from touching fentanyl?

No. Directly touching or being around fentanyl will not lead to an overdose. It must be introduced into the bloodstream or a mucus membrane in order for it to work. 

Fentanyl on your skin takes about 48 to 72 hours to absorb if not cleaned off, unless it goes through an open wound.


How can I protect myself from fentanyl?

What should I do after being exposed to fentanyl?

Can you overdose from touching fentanyl?

Even though fentanyl won't lead to an overdose, avoid direct contact with any suspicious substances. 

 Fentanyl in powdered form needs to be disturbed in order to get into the air and potentially be inhaled. If you're unable to distance yourself or are worried about disturbing it, use a wet cloth/paper towel to cover it.

What should I do after being exposed to fentanyl?

What should I do after being exposed to fentanyl?

What should I do after being exposed to fentanyl?

If you accidentally touch fentanyl, wash your hands as soon as you can with soap and water, and avoid touching your face. Avoid using hot water and alcoholic hand sanitizers and soaps, as that can increase absorption into the skin.

If you believe you or someone got fentanyl into their system, monitor for symptoms of fentanyl use and overdose and administer Naloxone if necessary. 

Fentanyl Test Strips

What are they?

Fentanyl test strips are small strips of paper that can detect the presence of fentanyl in different drugs and drug forms. Test strips provide important information about fentanyl in the illegal drug supply so communities and people who use drugs can take steps to reduce risk of overdose. 

Why should I test my drugs for fentanyl?

The DEA has reported that over 7 in 10 illicit pills are laced with fentanyl. It's commonly found in other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and pills from nonmedical sources. 

Fentanyl can only be detected through test strips, and is impossible to be detected by sight, smell, or taste. Knowing if the drugs you plan to use contain fentanyl can lower your risk of overdose. 

Where can I get them?

Learn more about fentanyl test strips and how to use them here. You can email us at info@sacopioidcoalition.org 

Request here

Sacramento County Opioid Coalition

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