THE WALKING DEAD IN REAL LIFE ? FENTANYL, THE DRUG RAVAGING THE UNITED STATES

« THE WALKING DEAD IN REAL LIFE ? FENTANYL, THE DRUG RAVAGING THE UNITED STATES 1- THE ORIGIN OF FENTANYL Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic drug primary used as an analgesic ( a painkiller). Created in 1959 by DR.

Paul JANSSEN ( a Belgian physician, the creator of Johnson & Johnson).

The drug is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.

It is usually used in hospital, in operating rooms.

It as the similar e ect than opium. 2-FENTANYL, A DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE Why does fentanyl kill ? There are severals factors.

From the 90s, Americans doctors began to prescribe too much fentanyl for treatments.

Indeed, it is super e ective in calming and stopping chronic pain.

The rst boxes are free.

However, it is a very addictive product.

Today 2 millions of Americans are legally addicted to Fentanyl-based treatments. But, Fentanyl is a very powerful substance, the lethal dose is 2 mg ( 4 grains of salt) compared to heroin at 200 mg, therefore it is easier to overdose on Fentanyl than heroine. 3-FENTANYL PRODUCTION CHALLENGES, AN ILLEGAL TRAFFIC MARKET In fact, Fentanyl is a drug widely sold on the black market.

Fentanyl is cheaper than heroin and easier to manufacture and obtain.

The price is less than 10 dollars.

Fentanyl production is less dependent on poppy cultivation and is more easily synthesized than traditional opioids such as morphine or codeine.

The main sources of illicit fentanyl are clandestine laboratories in China and Mexican drug cartels.

Dr.

Jerome Adams, former U.S.

Surgeon General, said: "It is imperative that we continue to work together to combat this public health crisis.

We must redouble our e orts to end the fentanyl epidemic and save lives.

» 4- THE FENTANYL PANDEMIC IN UNITED STATES, INADEQUATE REPONSE AND YOUNG VICTIMS CONCERN In USA, in 2016, there were 20,100 deaths from Fentanyl compared to 9,945 and 3,000 in 2014.

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