What is Fentanyl?
- Fentanyl is a powerful opioid. It is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine.
- Legal fentanyl is used in medical settings to manage pain, such as during an emergency or after a major surgery.
- Illegal fentanyl can be sold in a powder or pill form. It is often mixed with other drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and MDMA (Molly).
- Illegal fentanyl is also sold as fake pills that look like real prescription medications. People have overdosed thinking they took prescriptions like Oxycontin, Adderall, Percocet, or Xanax.
- Fentanyl has no unique look, taste, or smell to identify it. It is not possible to tell if a pill is real or fake unless you pick it up from a pharmacy yourself.
How do I stay safe from fentanyl?
- Overdoses happen when too much fentanyl is ingested (swallowed, snorted, injected, etc.). It enters the bloodstream, and it slows or stops someone’s breathing. You cannot overdose by touching fentanyl.
- Naloxone works for opioid overdoses, including fentanyl. Always carry naloxone and learn how to reverse an opioid overdose.
- It is safest to assume all illegal drugs contain fentanyl.
- Fentanyl test strips can tell you whether fentanyl is present, but they aren’t perfect. A negative result doesn’t remove the risk of overdose. No matter what result a test strip shows, always have naloxone close.
Oregon Data
Fentanyl is the most common drug involved in overdose deaths in Oregon. In 2024, 68% of fatal overdoses involved fentanyl.
For more information, visit the Overdose Prevention dashboard.