Fentanyl dangers: Toronto police warning of 'devastating impact'

Toronto police arewarning the public of the "devastating impact" related to fentanyl, a syntheticpainkiller that somerecreational drug users take unknowingly, putting them at risk of overdose.

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"This is a dangerous drug," Insp. Howie Pageof the Torontodrug squadsaid at a news conference Monday morning."This is 40 times more potent than heroin on its own."

Fentanyl, like heroin, is an opiate.It's been connected with multiple deaths andoverdoses across Canada.

"We're seeing a lot of deaths in the Greater Toronto Area," Page said, adding users oftendon't know the drug'sconcentration or purity.

"One pill could kill a person," Page said. "Often, the dealers at the lower end don't know what they're selling."

Heroin users sometimes unknowingly takefentanyl, according to police.

"We're seeing it heavily in Western Canada," where heroin is more prevalent,Page said.

"The landscape of the problem differs," from Vancouver to Toronto but it's "not new to the Toronto drug situation," he added.

Tampering with patches

The drug was originally developed as an anesthetic used during surgery. Around the turn of the millenniumitmadeavailable asa small patch the size of a Band-Aid that allowed the medication to be released through the skinover time. It's normally prescribed to patientswith cancer and severe chronic pain.

Police say those patchessellon the street for $200 each.

Police say abusers tamper with the patches, scraping off and dividingthe drug andproduce more sales. Police say they're seeing fentanylsoldmostly as a powder, which can be mixed with other drugs, but it can also be smoked or injected. Some users have also been known to suck the patch under their tongues.

Fentanyl's popularity has risen as the availability of otheropiates such as OxyContin and oxycodone has declined.

Police offer a program through which users can turn in their patches.

Police say if someone is overdosing on fentanyl, call 911 immediately. Symptoms of an overdoseinclude slow breathing andnausea,and could lead to coma or death.