A new study just came out telling us that drug overdoses have been down for the last six months. But we also learned recently that Fentanyl has some competition for deadliest opioid coming early in November 2018.Fentanyl is a kind of prescription, synthetic opioid. The drug  has been used for years for various medical reasons such as during the post-surgery phase of treatment. It is used in order to block pain. It can also be used prior to surgery in order to help patients sink gently into an unconscious state of being.

Fentanyl was developed in the 1960’s for use by surgeons as an anesthetic and pain reliever. At first it was well restricted to use by medical professionals. However, these drugs don’t often take long to get to the public market.

By 1990 the drug was produced in a subdermal patch form that was easily applied, easily distributed, and thus easily sold illicitly anywhere and everywhere.

Accessibility is everything in the fight against drug addiction. This is likely one of the reasons opioids are killing so very many people, they are everywhere. Since the patch was made, fentanyl use has skyrocketed in the USA so much so that fentanyl has been named as the cause for almost half of the drug overdose deaths in the US.  

“This Drug Offers No Advance”

Keeping all of that information about fentanyl in mind, it becomes more than clear as to why some physicians and specialists out there are uncomfortable with the fact that the US Food and Drug Association, FDA, are about to approve a new opioid for use in the United States. Dsuvia is an opioid that boasts a potentsy ten times more deadly than fentanyl and five hundred times the potency of morphine. Dsuvia was developed by AcelRx Pharmaceuticals.

Even among committee members, there is disagreement about the necessity of releasing another potent opioid to the public. Dr. Raeford Brown, the chair of the committee and a professor of anesthesiology and pediatrics at the University of Kentucky, expressed concern about Dsuvia, which he noted comes in a form that can be easily diverted—meaning someone without a prescription might still be able to access the drug. “This drug offers no advance, in my mind, over previously available opioid formulations, but provides great risk of harm to patients and the general public health,” Brown told Marketwatch in an interview.

Opioid Addiction Treatment through Detox, & Broward County Drug Rehab

South Florida is no stranger to the opioid epidemic and neither is 1st Step Behavioral Therapy. 1st Step has been offering the community in South Florida opioid treatment for years, like their heroin drug treatment. Broward County is just as at risk as the rest of the country. Opioids are some of the most addictive substances that can be taken because they grow tolerance in the user at a startling pace. This is why those who start by taking a prescription dosage unexpectedly end up looking for a stronger illicit form later.

If you are addicted to opioids, whether they are prescription or something like heroin or fentanyl you need to seek out help soon. These drugs are fatal. You can’t do it on your own. Call today to learn more about our programs and how we can help you come off of the substance safely so you can live a long, healthy, and sober life.

Jump to a Section

Call (855) 425-4846