Carry, use, and share fentanyl test strips, which can save lives. It can be purchased from a pharmacy (even without a prescription) or may be distributed by different organizations within your community. Fentanyl should only be prescribed by doctors who are experienced in treating pain in cancer patients. This medication should not be used to treat pain browsing the dark web other than chronic cancer pain, especially short-term pain such as migraines or other headaches, pain from an injury, or pain after a medical or dental procedure. Fentanyl may cause serious breathing problems or death if it is used by people who are not being treated with other narcotic medications or who are not tolerant to narcotic medications.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid pain medication that is used to treat severe pain, often in patients who are already opioid-tolerant. It is a highly potent drug, and even small doses can be dangerous or fatal to those who are not opioid-tolerant. Given its strength, it’s natural to wonder: can you buy fentanyl over the counter?
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No, Fentanyl Cannot Be Purchased Over the Counter
The short answer is no, fentanyl cannot be purchased over the counter. It is a Schedule II controlled substance, which means that it has a high potential for abuse and is only available by prescription from a licensed healthcare provider. Fentanyl is typically administered in a hospital or other healthcare setting, and it is not available for purchase at a pharmacy or retail store.
As of now, there are only three medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat opioid use disorder, a disease affecting an estimated two million individuals in the United States. Methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine are all opioid-based medications and require a prescription for use, which can make them difficult to obtain for people who urgently need them to avoid relapse. But what if treatment was within reach without a visit to the doctor’s office?
What Are Opioids? What Are They Used For In Medicine?
The Dangers of Fentanyl
Until recently, naloxone has largely been used by health care providers, emergency responders, police, and outreach workers. Laws and rules around how it could be obtained varied by state. Sometimes, individuals would fill a prescription for it at a pharmacy, but they could often obtain it for free from a local health or harm reduction organization or emergency department. Health departments and community-based organizations across the country have been stepping up to respond to the opioid crisis. This project aimed to identify a potential tool they can use to prevent overdose deaths and engage with people who use opioids to help them move toward addiction treatment and other services. Death following opioid overdose is preventable if the person receives basic life support and the timely administration of the drug naloxone.
Fentanyl is a highly potent drug, and even small doses can be dangerous or fatal to those who are not opioid-tolerant. It is 50-100 times stronger than morphine, and it can cause respiratory depression, which can be life-threatening. Fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, which can increase the risk of overdose. It is important to only use fentanyl under the supervision of a licensed healthcare provider, and to never use it recreationally or without a prescription.
Who Should Carry Naloxone?
In December 2018, the FDA cleared a mobile medical application, reSET®, to help treat opioid use disorders. This application is a prescription cognitive behavioral therapy and should be used in conjunction with treatment that includes buprenorphine and contingency management. Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are now the most common drugs involved in drug overdose deaths in the United States. The number of overdose deaths in the U.S. from synthetic opioids doubled from 2016 to 2017. In 2018, 744 people from Washington died from an opioid related overdose and 198 of these deaths included fentanyl. Naloxone is a medication that can save lives by reversing the effects of an opioid overdose.
Alternatives to Fentanyl
FDA Warns About Serious Problems With High Doses Of The Allergy Medicine Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
If you are experiencing pain and are looking for relief, there are many alternatives to fentanyl that can be purchased over the counter. Over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil), can be effective for mild to moderate pain. Topical pain relievers, such as creams or patches, can also be helpful for localized pain.
If you are experiencing severe pain, it is important to speak with a licensed healthcare provider. They can evaluate your symptoms and prescribe the appropriate medication, if necessary. It is important to follow your healthcare provider’s instructions carefully and to never use prescription pain medication without a prescription.
In fact, the majority of overdose deaths now involve synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. One commonly used fentanyl test strip or “FTS” (BTNX Inc., Markham, ON, Canada) is a lateral flow chromatographic immunoassay for the qualitative detection of fentanyl in urine at the cutoff concentration of 20 ng/mL. A positive result on this test strip gives one line, a negative result gives two lines, and an invalid test gives either no line or no control line [21]. The “off label” use of the FTS in a harm reduction context involves preparation of a solution of the drug to be checked.
- For years, fentanyl test strips were considered drug paraphernalia in most states.
- Carry, use, and share fentanyl test strips, which can save lives.
- It temporarily blocks the effect of opioids and helps a person to start breathing again.
- You may bathe, shower, or swim while wearing a fentanyl skin patch.
Conclusion
A Vermont health care center has announced it will start giving away free test strips to determine if a drug contains fentanyl. Only half of countries provide access to effective treatment options for opioid dependence and less than 10% of onion links sites people worldwide in need of such treatment are receiving it (5). Health and Wellness Services provides an educational and non-judgmental environment for students to learn more about harm reduction strategies and life-saving measures.
In summary, fentanyl is a highly potent opioid pain medication that cannot be purchased over the counter. It is only available by prescription from a licensed healthcare provider, and it should only be used under their supervision. If you are experiencing pain, there are many alternatives to fentanyl that can be purchased over the counter, and it is important to speak with a healthcare provider if you are experiencing severe pain.
