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Fentanyl
About Fentanyl
A synthetic opioid roughly 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl treats breakthrough cancer pain and is used in anesthesia. It was introduced as an intravenous anesthetic by Paul Janssen. Illicit fentanyl has driven a massive increase in overdose deaths, surpassing prescription opioids as the leading cause of opioid death. Fentanyl is absorbed through skin and mucous membranes, enabling transdermal patches and lozenges. It is inexpensive to manufacture illegally, driving its proliferation.
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