And it just might have killed a vacationing toddler.
Fentanyl is 100 times more powerful than Morphine. It makes heroin, morphine, and OxyContin seem almost wimpy. A few grains of Fentanyl powder can kill you. Like other narcotics, it depresses the respiratory center in the brain stem, resulting in breathing cessation, asphyxia, and death. It can do so very quickly.
Cops wear gloves and masks when handling any suspect substance for fear it could be fentanyl. Touching it or breathing in even the smallest amount of the powder can led to death. They carry Narcan, the injectable antagonist for narcotics, with them daily.
But, since you don’t use drugs or handle them, you’re safe, right? No. Fentanyl contamination is becoming a problem as has meth contamination which has closed several libraries for remediation:
A tragic event apparently occurred with the death of a toddler while staying at an Airbnb. Seems a party was held there two nights before the family moved in for a vacation. Then the toddler died. An autopsy revealed lethal levels of Fentanyl. Probably from contacting the narcotic that had spilled onto carpeting, furniture, bedsheets, or who knows.
Massive amounts of this drug cross our borders almost daily and can be found in any community. It just might be waiting for you in a hotel, restaurant, rental car, beach chair, anywhere.
ADDENDUM: To underscore the fact that this deadly drug pops up when you least expect it, a pregnant woman working at Dunkin’ Donuts recently contacted Fentanyl from a $10 bill. See? It's everywhere.