Fentanyl Overdose Statistics Shared By Pinnacle Peak Recovery

Scottsdale, AX, based Pinnacle Peak Recovery Detox Center would like to inform people of the statistics surrounding the deadly, highly addictive nature of fentanyl. As a rehabilitation center that regularly helps people dealing with such conditions, they are particularly concerned that cases of fentanyl abuse are on the rise.

Fentanyl is part of the opioid crisis that is currently in the news almost every night, and it is widely considered one of the most dangerous drugs on the market. By remaining informed about the dangers of fentanyl and the statistics regarding usage and various other factors, more people can perhaps avoid falling into the cycle of abuse associated with the drug.

“Although popularly known for its illegal uses and role in the uptick in drug-related overdoses, fentanyl was created as a synthetic opioid to be used in pain management for those with chronic pain, or post-surgery,” says Pinnacle Peak. “Being nearly 100 times more potent than morphine, fentanyl is not only relatively inexpensive to produce and fast-acting, but it offered the medical field an alternative for patients who were resistant to preexisting medications. It did not take long for fentanyl to appear on the illegal drug market. Being inexpensively produced in unregulated and illegal laboratories, the strength and cheapness of fentanyl has made it a go-to for drug dealers to mix with other drugs to make them more potent and reduce their cost. Fentanyl can often be laced into some of the most popular narcotics, including cocaine, heroin, and meth.”

Fentanyl is different from other opioids because it is extremely potent and addictive. Since it is many times more potent than morphine (and even heroin), cheaper and incredibly addictive, there has been a marked increase in the number of cases of fentanyl use as well as deaths over the years. Two milligrams of fentanyl are enough to be lethal and it can be — and often is — mixed with other drugs to increase or decrease its strength. Often, those who use fentanyl have little to no idea what is in their fentanyl and how much fentanyl they are consuming. This unregulated use of a very dangerous drug has led to countless deaths due to fentanyl overdose.

The number of deaths associated with fentanyl is a major cause of concern among Americans. Pinnacle Peak Recovery says, “Just last year, an estimated 2,000 people in Arizona alone died from fentanyl-related overdoses. That is a death rate of 26.8 people out of every 100,000 residents. In the first four months of 2022, almost 700 people in Arizona have overdosed on opioids, with just under 200 dying. There are no projections of this slowing down.

"Additionally, fentanyl is not only being introduced to people from illegal manufacturers. In 2015 nearly 6.5 million prescriptions for fentanyl were written and in 2018, roughly 4 million fentanyl prescriptions were sold to people without a prescription. These prescriptions combined with the illegally manufactured fentanyl have led to fentanyl overdoses far outpacing other prescription opioids by 550.94%.”

Deaths associated with fentanyl have always been high, but recent research has shown that the mortality rate associated with fentanyl use has increased by over 60%. This represents, in Arizona alone, an increase of nearly 30%. The relatively small amount needed to all but guarantee death means that those who knowingly take the drug often overdose by mistake, while those who use other drugs often have no way of knowing whether or not their drugs are mixed with fentanyl, and this can have lethal consequences.

Pinnacle Peak Recovery offers treatment for people suffering from addiction to a number of substances (including fentanyl itself). “Because we know that it can be difficult to go it alone, Pinnacle Peak has highly trained and compassionate staff on call 24/7 to watch out for the physical and mental health of all of our patients,” the rehabilitation center says. “At Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we offer specialized fentanyl addiction treatment options. We offer round-the-clock care during detox in order to assure that our patients are as comfortable as they can be during the difficult detox process. Our team of medical professionals may also choose to prescribe medications in order to make the detox and withdrawal process smoother both physically and mentally. Our fentanyl detox process usually lasts from five to seven days.”

For more information on Pinnacle Peak Recovery, visit their website. Those suffering from an addiction, or even concerned loved ones, may contact the center via phone, email or other mediums for professional assistance.