Serenity Lane Intensive Outpatient Services, Eugene, Focuses on Fentanyl Identification in New Blog Post

Serenity Lane Intensive Outpatient Services, Eugene, a treatment center for drug abuse and alcoholism, has recently released a blog post that focuses on fentanyl identification. It is important to identify fentanyl because it is often mixed with other drugs, such as cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine. It is also used in producing counterfeit prescription pain pills. This means that people are taking fentanyl without their knowledge. The ease of overdosing, thanks to it being between 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine, makes this problem particularly acute. The result is that fentanyl is currently the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45, based on 2021 data.

Pharmaceutically produced fentanyl is in a white powder form, while fentanyl that is illegally produced is off-white, tan, or gray. However, this drug is not usually found in its pure form but hidden in other drugs, such as heroin. When fentanyl is mixed with other drugs, it may create brown spots in the substance. Beyond recreational drugs, fake fentanyl prescription pills that resemble other opiates and benzodiazepines are also common. The imprinted number or the color of the pill may indicate that it is fake. However, some fake pills look like authentic medication. To highlight the seriousness of the problem, more than 9.5 million counterfeit pills were seized by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in September 2021.

A good way to check if fentanyl has been added to a particular product is to use fentanyl test strips.

Pharmaceutical fentanyl, which is available in various forms, can also be misused. Fentanyl can be prescribed as a: transdermal patch, a sublingual or buccal pill, a film, a lozenge or lollipop, an injection, or as a nasal or throat spray. Pharmaceutical fentanyl is available in various brand names, such as: Duragesic, Actiq Lollipop, Sublimaze, and Lazanda. Street names for fentanyl include: Fenty, Apache, Dance Fever, and TNT.

The article points out that the best way to avoid taking fentanyl is not to take any illegal drugs. For those who choose to use drugs, a harm reduction center where fentanyl test strip kits are available may help. For instance, FentCheck is a non-profit organization that provides fentanyl test strips to the local community as a way to save lives. Harm reduction centers also provide life-saving resources, such as Naloxone, other resources, and education for the community.

Those who have developed a physical dependence on fentanyl will have withdrawal symptoms if they stop using it, such as: nausea and diarrhea, increased blood pressure, irritability, and vomiting. Fentanyl withdrawal treatment is available through Serenity Lane. They provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT), where they utilize FDA-approved medications to relieve withdrawal symptoms and cravings for fentanyl.

The MAT program at Serenity Lane is intended to improve a particular individual’s outlook on long-term recovery. And their residential treatment program offers medications that provide the patient with the tools required for lifelong and successful recovery.

Founded in 1973, Serenity Lane has been licensed as a specialty hospital for treating addiction since the start. They are the only treatment facility in Oregon that is fully licensed as a specialty hospital that can offer medically assisted detox. They have pioneered several new programs over the years, including residential step-down and outpatient programs that combine outpatient and residential services. They have also offered the only Addiction Counselor Training Program in Oregon, and some of their graduates are now working in various treatment programs throughout the US. All of their programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

Those interested in learning more about the addiction treatment services provided by Serenity Lane Intensive Outpatient Services, Eugene, can check out their website or contact them via phone or email. They are open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, from Sunday to Saturday.