General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Fentanyl is real and what you hear is true! [View all]RAB910
(4,030 posts)clearly you didn't read the article I gave you to link to. If you did:
Concerns about fentanyl exposure continue to spread despite a clear consensus from medical experts that overdose from incidental skin contact is a medical impossibility [14, 15]. Indeed, this claim has been officially debunked by the American College of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology [16] and the National Occupational Safety and Health with the CDC [26]. A drug policy advocate has also disproven this myth by holding fentanyl powder in his hand without consequence and widely circulating the internet footage [15]. Researchers who study reported overdoses from fentanyl exposure among emergency responders have explained that cases documented thus far can best be attributed to the nocebo effecta phenomenon in which individuals believe they have encountered a toxic substance and therefore experience the expected symptoms of exposure [27]. This is consistent with our broader understanding of occupational wellness and mental healthor lack thereofamong first responders [28]. When individuals are already operating under acute stress and with few mental health reserves, fear of overdose from touching fentanyl could serve as an additional stressor.
if that is not enough
Recent media reports have highlighted stories of exposure to a white powdery substance assumed to be fentanyl and the wide variety of adverse medical reactions that followed. While these stories are disturbing, it is important for everyone involved to separate fact from fiction when talking about fentanyl exposure to avoid unnecessary confusion and panic.
Illicit fentanyl cannot be absorbed through the skin or by touching an item or surface where it is present. When in powder form, fentanyl and its analogs (including carfentanil and fluorofentanyl) cannot be absorbed through the skin. Dissolving the powder in a liquid does not change this property. Wet objects do not pose an increased risk for an overdose caused by casual exposure.
Its so important to separate fact from fiction when it comes to fentanyl because Tennesseans are dying of overdose by the thousands. It is our hope that these facts will help people who are struggling with opioid use reach to treatment if they need it and find a new life in recovery, said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW.
https://www.tn.gov/behavioral-health/news/2022/8/24/state-departments-issue-guidance-around-fentanyl-exposure-.html#:~:text=Illicit%20fentanyl%20cannot%20be%20absorbed,does%20not%20change%20this%20property.
OR
This has come to more attention since the CDC recently removed a video from the NIOSH site that it says "mischaracterizes" the dangers of fentanyl exposure for police and first responders. There are many such videos of police officers quickly showing overt symptoms or even collapsing after exposure to minute quantities of fentanyl - or even just possible fentanyl - and these are just not pharmacologically possible. Fentanyl is not absorbed through the skin like this. Yes, there are indeed fentanyl skin patches for hospital pain relief, but these are formulated with other agents to make the skin more permeable under the patch (as are all such skin-patch dosage forms). Think about it: you do not see opioid addicts rubbing small bits of fentanyl on the backs of their hands for a quick hit. But this hysteria - which is what to call it - has spread to the point that random people are fainting when they think they've been exposed by (for example) picking up money off the floor.
https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/fainting-fentanyl-exposure-nope