What Is Fentanyl? | Understanding the Dangers, Uses & How Recovery Connections of Maine Can Help

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid originally developed for severe pain management, typically used for cancer patients or those recovering from surgery. Medically, it is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.

There are two primary forms:

• Pharmaceutical fentanyl, used in hospitals (patches, lozenges, injections)
• Illicit fentanyl, manufactured illegally and sold on the street, often mixed with heroin, cocaine, meth, or pressed into fake pills

Legally prescribed fentanyl is administered in:

• Transdermal patches
• Lozenges
• Injections (hospital setting only)

Illicit fentanyl, on the other hand, is:

• Often snorted, smoked, or injected
• Mixed into other street drugs without the user’s knowledge
• Sold as fake OxyContin, Xanax, or Percocet pills

Even a few grains of fentanyl can be deadly—especially when users don’t realize it’s in the drug they’re taking.

Fentanyl is extremely potent, and even a small amount can shut down the respiratory system, leading to death within minutes.

Key reasons it’s so deadly:

• Unpredictable dosage in street drugs
• High risk of overdose, especially for people without opioid tolerance
• Quick onset, which gives the body little time to react
• Laced into drugs unknowingly, leading people to ingest lethal doses without knowing

Fentanyl kills by causing respiratory depression—slowing or completely stopping breathing. Without enough oxygen, the brain, heart, and lungs shut down.

In many cases:

• The person may pass out quickly
• Breathing slows or stops
• Without naloxone (Narcan), death can occur in minutes

Fentanyl overdoses are also harder to reverse, often requiring multiple doses of Narcan.

• Blue or gray lips and fingertips
• Shallow or stopped breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Pinpoint pupils
• Choking or gurgling sounds
• Unresponsiveness

If you see these signs—call 911 immediately and administer Narcan if available.

At Recovery Connections of Maine, we provide a full range of treatment services for individuals struggling with fentanyl use and other opioid addictions.

Our Programs Include:

• Comprehensive assessment & placement
• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
• Dual diagnosis support (mental health + addiction)
• Sober living and recovery housing
• Referrals to detox and inpatient care, when needed

We work with both MaineCare and commercial insurance plans and offer affordable housing options to support long-term recovery.