Heroin Overdose Epidemic - what is your perspective?

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Originally Posted by Sensei

There are more than a few of these reported “occupational exposures.” The medical consensus is that these cases are probably not related to opiate exposure or overdose from cutaneous exposure. Brief cutaneous contact with fentanyl (or its derivatives) cannot produce intoxication, much less an overdose. If they could, abusers wouldn’t go to the trouble of injection if they could simply rub it on their skin to get high. For perspective, the transcutaneous preparation of fentanyl takes hours to build up in the skin to a therapeutic level. Thus, the conclusions reached by the police sergeant in that article cannot be supported by science.

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I'm shocked, SHOCKED! to find out that the media got some facts wrong- thanks for the clarification.

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Originally Posted by Joe in PNG

I'm shocked, SHOCKED! to find out that the media got some facts wrong- thanks for the clarification.

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This strikes me as more of a case where the media blindly printed the scientifically unsound conclusions of police leadership. Of course, the fastest way for a beat reporter to lose valuable police contacts for future juicy stories is to have a real SME fact check the police source’s unfounded opinions. Part of the symbiotic relationship between LE and the press is that the former feeds the later in return for having stories printed in a particular manner...a manner that shapes a useful narrative.

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Originally Posted by Sensei

There are more than a few of these reported “occupational exposures.” The medical consensus is that these cases are probably not related to opiate exposure or overdose from cutaneous exposure. Brief cutaneous contact with fentanyl (or its derivatives) cannot produce intoxication, much less an overdose. If they could, abusers wouldn’t go to the trouble of injection if they could simply rub it on their skin to get high. For perspective, the transcutaneous preparation of fentanyl takes hours to build up in the skin to a therapeutic level. Thus, the conclusions reached by the police sergeant in that article cannot be supported by science.

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So (big "if" here) if these cases are related to opiate exposure, how does it happen, then? Inhalation?

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Originally Posted by olstyn

So (big "if" here) if these cases are related to opiate exposure, how does it happen, then? Inhalation?

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These cases are not related to opiate exposure.

15+ years of practicing medicine have taught me that some patients experience symptoms in ways that cannot be explained by science.

Could these symptoms be an allergic reaction?

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Originally Posted by willie

Could these symptoms be an allergic reaction?

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No.

If all the drug companies had to do to give people fentanyl was put it in a powder and open the bag near someone, they would have saved millions of dollars in R&D on transdermal patches. Even if you got some on intact skin, it wouldn't have the same effect as what is being described.

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Originally Posted by Sensei

These cases are not related to opiate exposure.

15+ years of practicing medicine have taught me that some patients experience symptoms in ways that cannot be explained by science.

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I have read stories where folks have been knocked unconscious by undissolved sugar at the bottom of a drink that they thought was seditive powder, people acting drunk after drinking "vodka tonics" sans vodka....belief is powerful.

Once again heroin addiction has taken the life of one of my oldest and best friends. One of the kindest and funniest people I've ever met. After fighting addiction his entire adult life he got clean and stayed clean for seven years. Went to school, got his master's, and seemed to be on a great path. Then he relapsed, struggled for almost two years, and last night he overdosed. Like all the others he was a normal person from a normal middle class family and great, hardworking parents. That shit doesn't care who it kills.

I'm not even going to say that if you care about an addict you should try to help them. You can't. But give them a call. Take them to the range. Whatever. You can help them have a normal few minutes or few hours that isn't part of that life. And when they die, and if they keep using heroin they will die, you'll be glad you did.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Having previously worked in a homeless shelter I am very familiar with that kind of addiction and what it turns people Into. From my experience I've seen very few people beat it. Your friend seemed like a strong guy to be clean for as long as he was. Rip

A colleague of mine (a fellow RN) recently lost his battle to addiction as well. He had a fiancee, a loving family of brothers and sisters who cared deeply for him, and a team who now misses him. He saved many lives in doing his job but as it turned out, he was stealing fentanyl to use off hours.

He overdosed and died. You can see how this shit kills people and still lose your fight against it.

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