Sacramento County Opioid Coalition
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  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Coalition Meetings
  • What We Do
    • Program: Narcan Training
    • Program: Gone Too Soon
    • Program: Hear to Heal
    • Events Calendar
    • 2025 Fentanyl Summit
  • Education & Info
    • What are Opioids?
    • What is Fentanyl?
    • What is Naloxone/Narcan?
    • Resources for Providers
  • Find Help & Naloxone
    • Get Help & Find Support
    • Free Naloxone
Sacramento County Opioid Coalition
  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Coalition Meetings
  • What We Do
    • Program: Narcan Training
    • Program: Gone Too Soon
    • Program: Hear to Heal
    • Events Calendar
    • 2025 Fentanyl Summit
  • Education & Info
    • What are Opioids?
    • What is Fentanyl?
    • What is Naloxone/Narcan?
    • Resources for Providers
  • Find Help & Naloxone
    • Get Help & Find Support
    • Free Naloxone

Fentanyl

2 mg of fentanyl on the tip of a pencil. This is a deadly dose of fentanyl for most peopke.

WHAT IS FENTANYL?

 More people are dying from opioid overdoses, and a big reason is synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Fentanyl is much stronger than most other opioids and is often mixed into street drugs without people knowing. It’s becoming more common in Sacramento.


Fentanyl is a man-made drug used to treat severe pain. It is about 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. 


Like other opioids, it can make people feel:

  • relaxed or sleepy
  • confused or dizzy
  • happy or “high” (euphoria)
  • sick to their stomach (nausea or vomiting)
  • slowed breathing
     

Fentanyl can be taken in many ways — as a pill, by snorting or smoking it, by injection, on blotter paper, or in a patch. It is often hidden in other street drugs, and you can’t tell if something has fentanyl in it by looking, tasting, smelling, or touching it.

For the average person, a LETHAL dose of fentanyl is 2 milligrams. That fits on the tip of a pencil.

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 (i.e. enter into the body).


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 touching 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 6 in 10 illicit pills are laced with fentanyl. It's commonly found in other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and pills from non-medical 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 request them from us here.

Request here

Information sourced from the CA Department of Public Health and John Hopkins School of Medicine

Sacramento County Opioid Coalition

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