Fentanyl is a highly potent synthetic opioid primarily used in pain medication. When used in a clinical setting, and administered with the proper dosage, it can be beneficial in easing pain for those undergoing cancer treatments or recovering from painful surgeries. Fentanyl is a fast acting drug and when given to patients by professionals in a very small dosage it is an asset to the medical field, however when people who don’t know how to properly use it, or when people ingest it unknowingly in other products laced with it, lives are lost. Baltimore has a growing number of drug and substance abuse related deaths, and this number has been increasing more as fentanyl continues to be put in other drugs.
According to PBS, in 2024, Baltimore saw more drug related deaths than any other American city. Fentanyl also accounted for seventy-five percent of overdose deaths in Baltimore. People have been selling drugs laced with fentanyl, and though some have been doing this unknowingly, the people consuming them are dying from the small amounts of fentanyl. Although no drugs used outside of a medical setting are considered 100% safe, fentanyl being put in products is leading to a major increase of deaths in Baltimore city and all over the country.
The American Health Institute conducted a survey using people who typically purchase and use drugs as a point of research. The survey showed that out of one hundred and seventy-five people, 88% said they would use fentanyl test strips. Fentanyl test strips are cheap and accurate and can be used to detect fentanyl within other drugs. The American Health Institute claims that while containing the widespread use of this deadly drug is near impossible, they can encourage test strips and other protective measures to try and help the rapidly growing number of deaths. This deadly substance is something researchers and leaders of both the state of Maryland, and the country are trying to contain and take preventative measures to combat the deaths caused by fentanyl.