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SEPTEMBER 15, 2022
If you or a family member needs fentanyl strips, please contact
the Grand Ronde Behavioral Health program at 503-879-2026.
The Truth About Fentanyl
This handout contains information everyone should know about fentanyl.
The facts
Naloxone
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid, 50—100 times more
potent than heroin
Naloxone (Narcan or Kloxxado) can reverse a
fentanyl overdose. Fentanyl is a strong opioid, so
you may need multiple (3, 4, or more) doses of
naloxone. The biggest risk in giving someone too
much naloxone is a more intense withdrawal.
Fentanyl gets added into many drugs, including
“normal looking” pills
A pill containing fentanyl can look exactly like a
pill without fentanyl
Two pills with different amounts of fentanyl can
look exactly the same
Many people don’t realize they are taking fentanyl
Fentanyl is causing a dramatic increase in
overdoses
Anyone who uses drugs can overdose, even if it’s
their first time or if they have been using for a
long time
Help people who are overdosing
If you have gloves and a mask, wear them for extra safety. You’ve
got to breathe in a VERY LARGE amount of fentanyl over a REALLY
LONG time to even begin to feel its effects – like dust-storm levels
in a closed room for over 3 hours.
If you get fentanyl powder on you
Dry fentanyl powder is not absorbed by skin. Your skin will only
absorb fentanyl powder if it’s mixed with a liquid.
While dry, brush off as much as you can
Don’t touch your mouth or eyes where fentanyl can be
easily absorbed
Flush with water (to dilute the fentanyl)
Wash your clothes
What can I do?
y Share the facts without judgment
y Learn how to use naloxone and always keep it with you
y Help people who are overdosing
y Encourage the people in your life who use drugs not to use
alone, always have naloxone, and accept treatment when
they are ready
y Make sure your tribe/clinic offers fentanyl testing strips
Fentanyl test strips
Test strips can’t detect all versions of fentanyl. But they
can reveal the most common versions in a drug. This can
save lives.
Healing medications
Medications that treat opioid use disorder—like “bupe”
e”
(buprenorphine) and methadone—work for people who
take fentanyl. Ask a substance use treatment provider r
for more information.
There is hope
We can heal our communities by educating ourselves, supporting each other, and
accepting help when we need it.
Text “OPIOIDS” to
94449 to receive videos,
quizzes, facts, and more
to grow your knowledge
about opioids.
Visit the Northwest Portland Area
Indian Health Board’s website at
www.npaihb.org/opioid to learn
more about treatments, reversing an
overdose, and other important topics.
This document was developed [in part] under grant number TI083243 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The views, policies, and opinions expressed
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