We’ve covered blogs about heroin and fentanyl, but there’s another deadly opiate out there: carfentanil. Carfentanil is 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times stronger than morphine. Although overdose deaths continue to decline nationwide, the battle for our communities and our loved ones continues. Carfentanil is another side of the battle. Here’s a few NJ carfentanil facts you need to know.

NJ Carfentanil Facts

• Just like fentanyl, drug dealers often cut heroin with carfentanil in order to save money and give a stronger high.
• Also just like fentanyl, carfentanil has a very fine consistency so that it can be absorbed through the skin (unlike heroin). This makes it very dangerous for first responders who might accidentally absorb the substance.
• Carfentanil can be obtained legally by veterinarians, as it has been used as a tranquilizer for large animals like elephants.
• Last Autumn, a New Jersey man was arrested for receiving a package of carfentanil from overseas.
• Although carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, this does not mean it is 100 times more lethal. Potency and lethality are not the same. However, more research is needed in this area.
• Street names for carfentanil include: gray death, elephant tranquilizer, drop dead, and serial killer.
• Most carfentanil comes from China. Production did not come under government regulation until March 2017.

What You Can Do

Since carfentanil can be absorbed so quickly, it’s absolutely vital that you act immediately if you encounter someone who’s overdosed. Many counties throughout the United States offer trainings to mental health professionals, drug addiction specialists, first responders, and average everyday citizens on the use of Narcan (aka Naloxone). Narcan is a non-addictive medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Under Good Samaritan Laws, an average citizen can intervene in good faith by applying Narcan to the victim of an opioid overdose. Many believe this to be a big reason why overdose deaths have declined recently.

Various retail drug stores carry non-prescription Narcan. You can easily purchase it there. However, if you’d like to receive training on the appropriate use of Narcan, you can search for seminars in your area or request one here or here.

NJ Carfentanil Facts and Law

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