Facts, not fear: Why fentanyl is different.

Fentanyl is different from other drugs in important ways. Know the facts to stay safer.

Fact #1

Fentanyl is massively strong. As much as 50 times stronger than heroin. An amount as small as 2 grains of salt can cause an overdose.

Fact #2

It’s hard to know if fentanyl is in your drug. You can’t taste it. You can’t smell it. And it doesn’t always look the same.

Fact #3

Fentanyl can be mixed into other drugs like pills, meth, cocaine or molly. People who make or sell drugs often mix it in to make the drug stronger at less cost to them.

Even if you trust your supplier, you don’t know who handled the drug before they did. Drugs change hands many times before they get to you.

Fact #4

A pill or line may have no fentanyl but another from the same batch may have a dangerous amount. Fentanyl can be clumpy.

When people make or sell drugs and mix in fentanyl, it doesn’t spread evenly throughout the batch.

Stay safer.

Now that you know why fentanyl is different, you can learn how to protect yourself. Visit our stay safer page to learn more about things like:

Fentanyl test strips.
Naloxone.
Why you should have others around if you use drugs.
How Good Samaritan laws protect you and your friends if you call 911 for an overdose.

Or, don’t use at all. It’s only safe to use drugs your healthcare provider appropriately prescribed.

Fentanyl in Pierce County.

We’re asking you to learn to stay safer because fentanyl has harmed far too many young people in Pierce County in recent years.

Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury deaths in Pierce County. It’s the second leading cause of injury deaths for people 15–24 years old.

January 2020-June 2022 in Pierce County

Want help or more info?

Visit our resources pages for youth or schools and organizations that work with youth.