MSU Extension Michigan Substance Use, Prevention, Education and Recovery (MiSUPER)

This is part of a series covering myths about fentanyl. Read part one here, part two here, and part three here. 

Many different myths about fentanyl get relayed through media outlets, social media posts, and word of mouth. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times as strong as morphine and used to treat severe pain in medical settings.

While it is true that fentanyl can be very dangerous when used outside of a controlled medical setting and is responsible for most drug overdose deaths, there are many ways to protect yourself and others from fentanyl exposure properly. It is important that we address misinformation, so our communities feel better prepared to address the opioid crisis together. Check your own knowledge of fentanyl myths by reading the other articles in this series, linked above.

Where have myths come from?

Researchers have traced myths about the exaggerated risk of fentanyl exposure back to a prominent source: the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). In 2016, the DEA released an advisory and training video that warned: "Just touching fentanyl or accidentally inhaling the substance…can result in absorption through the skin and that is one of the biggest dangers with fentanyl. The onset of adverse health effects, such as disorientation, coughing, sedation, respiratory distress, or cardiac arrest, is very rapid and profound, usually occurring within minutes of exposure."

This statement was paired with an image of tiny, allegedly lethal doses of fentanyl put next to a penny for scale. As we discussed in part 3 of this article series, this information has contributed to many first responders falsely believing they can overdose by touching fentanyl. Many other authorities, including the Department of Justice and National Police Foundation, echoed this false and incorrect message.

Experts refuted the DEA’s claims

In response to these claims, the American Academy of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology released a joint statement clarifying that fentanyl toxicity from incidental exposure is so unlikely as to be nearly impossible. After the release of this joint statement, professionals from other countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, updated their guidelines with correct information for first responders. Unfortunately, many United States law enforcement agencies continue to believe and repeat the incorrect information in the DEA’s report. The DEA’s original statement has since been retracted; however their training video repeating this false information is still available online.

The spread of misinformation surrounding fentanyl overdose risk is a serious problem. A research team conducted a review to determine how misinformation about fentanyl overdose risk has spread and found that “misinformed media reports received approximately 450,000 Facebook shares, potentially reaching nearly 70,000,000 users from 2015 to 2019.” They also found that misinformation, “amplified by erroneous government statements,” received a troubling 15 times as many shares as correct information, which only had 30,000 shares.

Why it is important to correct these myths

Perhaps the most important reason why it is important to correct these myths is that these beliefs may lead to delays in life-saving care and cost someone who is overdosing their life. During an opioid overdose, people stop breathing, and the body’s oxygen supply is cut off. It is important to provide naloxone and rescue breathing as soon as possible. Myths exaggerating the risk of fentanyl exposure may also further stigmatize people who use drugs as being toxic and dangerous to be around or touch.

People who use drugs already report experiencing stigma and abuse from healthcare professionals, leading them to avoid seeking medical care. Additionally, research has found that almost half of law enforcement officers believe there should be a limit on how often someone who overdoses should be able to receive life-saving naloxone, and 83% view the presence of naloxone as an excuse for people to continue using drugs.

These cultural attitudes, worsened by myths about fentanyl and misunderstanding why people use drugs, may cause someone to hesitate to call life-saving emergency services during a potential overdose to avoid interacting with these agencies.

MSU Extension supports harm reduction

The Michigan Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Recovery (MiSUPER) team works to increase awareness of opioid use in rural communities regarding prevention, addiction treatment options, and recovery support so that community members and healthcare professionals can recognize signs of problematic opioid use, suggest options for professional treatments, and support those in recovery.

The MiSUPER team offers training and resources on opioid use disorder, harm reduction, and how policies, systems, and environments criminalize and punish people who use substances. As our work evolves in this space, please help us promote harm reduction strategies in your community by sharing this article and continuing to learn and educate others about harm reduction.

You can sign up and learn more about other health promotional programs offered by MSU Extension by visiting www.extension.msu.edu/healthprograms.