Facts & FAQs | Friends for Life

Call 911 right away if you think
your friend is overdosing.

Washington state’s Good Samaritan laws protect you both from prosecution for drug possession.

Facts & FAQs

What you need to know about fentanyl and the overdose crisis

In Washington state and across the U.S., illicit fentanyl and other powerful additives are making street drugs more unpredictable and harmful. Most overdose deaths in Washington now involve fentanyl.

The rate of youth overdose has increased in recent years. Yet, the overall number of Washington minors who have died from a fentanyl overdose remains relatively low. The truth is most teens don’t knowingly experiment with opioids, including fentanyl.

Still, one life lost is one too many. Fentanyl is hurting the people we care about most. It’s up to us to help keep one another safe.

Here’s what you should know:

Fentanyl is a strong, fast-acting opioid, so overdoses can happen quickly.
Illicit fentanyl can be sold as a powder or added to:
- fake prescription pills, which may look like OxyContin, Adderall, Percocet, or Xanax
- other illicit drugs, like cocaine or MDMA
Fake prescription pills contain uneven amounts of illicit fentanyl. There is no way to know how much is in one.
One pill—even part of a pill—can be enough to cause a fatal overdose.
Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a medication that reverses opioid overdoses.
You don’t need any special training to carry or use naloxone.

Talk to the people in your life about the real risks of fentanyl and fake pills, so they can make informed choices. And learn more about naloxone (Narcan). Having it can make all the difference.

FAQs

What is an opioid?

Opioids are a type of drug used to manage pain. There are regulated (legal) opioids which are often prescribed following surgeries or injuries or as part cancer treatments. There are also unregulated (illicit) opioids which are sold as street drugs.

Opioids relieve pain by binding to nerve receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and other organs. One side effect can be to depress, or slow down, a person’s breathing. They can be habit-forming.

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful, fast-acting opioid about 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

Regulated (legal) fentanyl is carefully manufactured and used in hospital settings or by prescription to manage pain.

Unregulated (illicit) fentanyl, on the other hand, is extremely unpredictable and can vary in potency based on the maker or the batch. It is sold as a street drug, usually in pill or powder form. It is also sometimes mixed into other illicit drugs, like cocaine or MDMA, or made to look like a prescription pill.

In fact, a person might not even be seeking an opioid and still come across fentanyl because these fake pills can look like legitimate Adderall, Xanax, Percocet, and more.

What does fentanyl look like?

Illicit fentanyl does not have a unique look, taste, or smell to help identify it. On its own, it may appear white, off-white, or brownish in color—similar to heroin, cocaine, or other pressed pills.

The fake pills illicit fentanyl gets mixed into come in many colors, depending on the color of the real prescription pills they are mimicking.

It is not possible to tell by a pill or powder’s look, taste, or smell whether it contains fentanyl. It is also not possible to tell if a pill is real or fake unless you pick it up directly from a pharmacy yourself.

What other names do people use for fentanyl?

Fentanyl has several street names. Some common names to know are blues, fent, fenty, fetty, mexis, M-30s or 30s, percs, or skittles.

Can you overdose by touching fentanyl?

Illicit fentanyl is harmful, but medical experts agree that you cannot overdose simply by touching fentanyl. Overdoses happen when fentanyl is ingested in some way (swallowed, snorted, injected, etc.) and enters the bloodstream.

What does an opioid overdose look like?

It’s important to know the signs of an opioid overdose. Someone may be overdosing if:

They can’t wake up
They are breathing very slowly or not at all
Their skin is blue, gray, or purple
Their skin is ashen and cold to the touch

If you think someone has overdosed, call 911 right away and give them naloxone. Washington state’s Good Samaritan law protects you both from prosecution for simple drug possession.

Learn more about the signs of an overdose and what you can do to help.

What are common risk factors for teens?

Some teens take fentanyl knowingly. Many more take it accidentally — mistaking fake pills laced with fentanyl for real prescriptions like OxyContin, Adderall, Xanax, or Percocet.

Mental health – Teens experiencing stress, anxiety, depression, or emotional pain may seek out pills to self-medicate and are likely to use alone.
Physical pain – Teens who have been injured or are experiencing physical pain may seek out pills to self-medicate.
Social pressure – Teens may experiment in social settings with their peers who are drinking, taking pills, or using other drugs.

What is naloxone?

Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a medication that reverses opioid overdoses and saves lives. It is available as a nasal spray or intramuscular injection.

Who can use naloxone?

Anyone! It’s simple, safe, and legal.

Simple – You do not need special training to give someone naloxone. Read the easy-to-follow instructions on the box or watch this video.
Safe – If you use naloxone on someone who has not taken opioids, it will not hurt them. It has no side effects, and it’s not habit-forming.
Legal – Washington has a statewide standing order, which means anyone in the state can legally get, carry, and use naloxone. If you plan to purchase naloxone at a pharmacy, bring a paper or digital copy of the standing order to share with the pharmacist.

Find a place near you to pick up naloxone. Naloxone is available for free in many communities or for purchase at most pharmacies.

How does naloxone work?

Naloxone blocks the effect of opioids and helps reverse an opioid overdose to wake someone up. Naloxone has no effect on someone who is not on opioids. It does not work to treat the effects of other drugs or alcohol.

Naloxone starts working right away. If you give naloxone to someone who is overdosing and do not see a response within 2 – 3 minutes, you need to give another dose. Naloxone wears off within 30 – 90 minutes. That’s another reason to call for emergency medical back-up and not leave until help arrives. Someone can begin to overdose again if the naloxone wears off before they receive medical support.

Carry naloxone so you’re always prepared.

Does naloxone work on fentanyl?

Yes, naloxone works on fentanyl. In fact, it is the best way we know of to reverse a fentanyl overdose. Because fentanyl is such a strong opioid, multiple doses of naloxone may be necessary to help reverse an overdose.

Naloxone only works to reverse the effects of opioids, so it will not work to reverse the effects of other drugs or alcohol. However, naloxone has no side effects, and you cannot hurt someone by giving them naloxone, even if they are not on opioids. That’s why you should always administer naloxone first if you are helping someone who is overdosing. It can’t hurt them, but it can save their life.

What are Good Samaritan laws?

In Washington state, people who call 911 to respond to an opioid overdose are protected from prosecution for simple drug possession by Good Samaritan laws. Prior to these laws being in effect, many people avoided calling emergency medical services because they we afraid of getting into trouble for having drugs with them. The goal of Good Samaritan laws is for people to feel secure calling 911 to get professional medical support in the event of an overdose.