The Unsuspecting Nature of Fentanyl: How American Perceptions of Addiction Hinder Treatment of Overdose
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, people watched as the death count in their countries rose and rose. With every increase of 100 deaths inciting 100 more social media posts about flattening the curve, it was clear that social distancing and efforts towards lowering the death count were the world’s most urgent concerns.
The gravity of COVID-19 was understood as a worldwide pandemic, something that did not rid you of value but warranted understanding and support, something that could impact anyone at any time and change the course of your and your loved one’s lives forever.
Every day, over 150 people die from overdoses caused by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl (CDC). I parallel COVID-19 and fentanyl overdose not to trivialize the two, but to intentionally draw differences in the treatment of these two major health crises. What if we had a death count on the news for fentanyl overdoses? How would this change the way we treat it and perceive it?
This brings me to the reality of the impact of fentanyl on American society. According to a June 2023 report by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), drug overdose deaths in 2021 rose to 70,601 due to synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. The fear that comes from these increasing statistics is their unsuspecting nature. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used to treat patients with severe or chronic pain following a surgery or operation (DEA). Illicit fentanyl is manufactured in foreign labs, sold on illegal drug markets, and responsible for the unwarranted deaths of thousands of Americans. The problem with fentanyl lies in its potency: the drug has the ability to increase the effects of typical pill or prescription opioids, and according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), “one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people.”
The DEA has found various illicitly manufactured pills containing .02 to 5.1 milligrams of fentanyl per tablet. 5.1 milligrams is twice the lethal dose of the drug.
In 2021, it was found that synthetic opioids, specifically fentanyl, were the main cause of overdose deaths, with a 7.5-fold increase from 2015-2021 (NIDA). Apart from prescriptions by a medical professional, there is no way to know if fentanyl is fake or legitimate. This is a large reason why it is so urgent to address its effects on our society. Despite the increasing number of drug deaths due to the opioid crisis and fentanyl overdose, some citizens remain unaware of the risks associated with this substance. It is essential that society perceives fentanyl in a way that works to prevent more unnecessary deaths, and this is something that we, as citizens, are responsible for playing a role in.
The Biden-Harris administration has taken various actions to limit the number of overdose deaths from synthetic drugs. In April of 2022, President Joe Biden sent his first National Drug Control Strategy to Congress. This strategy represents his whole-of-government approach to combating the overdose epidemic, calling for an investment of $42.5 billion for National Drug Control Program agencies. Some initiatives include the CDC’s release of complementary education campaigns regarding the dangers of fentanyl overdose, NIDA’s support of over 85 new studies testing drug prevention strategies in various populations, and the DEA’s release of its first public safety alert in six years, “One Pill Can Kill.”
When looking at this strategy, it’s a wonder why I am writing this article at all. It seems like the Biden-Harris administration is taking proper action, and the problem should go away soon! We are all set. We have flattened the curve.
This sentiment would be true if it were not for the significant increase in deaths relating to fentanyl overdose. In 2022, provisional data found that over ⅔ of 107,081 drug overdose deaths in the United States involved primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyls.
The larger reason why I am calling for a more urgent view of the synthetic opioid epidemic is its current perception in America. According to a 2014 study conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, people are more likely to feel negatively towards those with drug addiction than those with mental illness. Addiction is thought of as a “moral failing” less so than a medical condition.
The intersection of addiction and specifically fentanyl overdose lies in its adding and mixing into many other purchasable drugs, making them cheaper and more potent for selling. Marijuana being laced with fentanyl can be the difference between life or death for someone. In February of 2022, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, Jared Forget, stated that people who never intended to ingest synthetic opioids are now ingesting them and suffering the consequences. Because of the public’s larger perception of addicts, there is less of an urgency to introduce health initiatives in these newly affected communities. According to the 2014 study, in American culture, there is shame in drug addiction and the few relevant media depictions of it often showcase street drug users rather than people recovering.
A drug addict’s death is less impactful to the general public when it is related to potentially accidental fentanyl ingestion. “It was bound to happen,” people would say, affirming that the medical condition of addiction is seen as morally deviant and warrants voiding people of value. People with perceivably no moral value are easily discarded and are referred to as a collective rather than individuals falling victim to a system plagued by substances that constitute an epidemic.
Following the increases in accidental fentanyl overdose deaths, the DEA created an exhibit titled The Faces of Fentanyl. The wall, at the DEA Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, features the faces, names, and ages of thousands who have died from fentanyl poisoning. It is important to note that The Faces of Fentanyl are made up of hardworking, diverse, and valuable individuals. Many victims of fentanyl overdose are American workers who have been treated for pain and turned to illegally manufactured drugs during times of withdrawal. There is no one picture of an addict. American healthcare conceptions of pain and addiction contribute to a larger perception surrounding overdose. This wall is just one of many efforts to personify the crisis, to create a perception surrounding fentanyl overdose that does not blame the addict but rather the crux of the issue.
I choose to emphasize how the public perceives fentanyl overdose due to the fact that I have fallen victim to blaming the person ingesting the drugs. I urge American society to challenge the way they think about drug addiction and who is addicted. There are subtle perceptions that can be the difference between action towards a new Face of Fentanyl or a new person in recovery. Know the dangers of fentanyl, but also know the dangers of drastic villainization of drug addiction in public opinion. We must address fentanyl accidental overdose and infiltration into drug distribution before it is too late.