# Why is street heroin being laced with fentanyl

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 22, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329 "2016-10-22T13:51:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329/41 "2016-10-25T00:11:11Z")

</div>

> [@running\_coach](#):
>
> This was over 12 years ago but I had those wonderpops ( :D) a couple of times for in-bed dressing changes.
> 
> The changes were usually done in the OR under a general. Maybe the ORs were booked up.

I could see where they might be used in other institutional settings; I’m just familiar with their use in hospice.

What happened to you, that a dressing change had to be done in the OR?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329/42 "2016-10-25T00:20:23Z")

</div>

> [@nearwildheaven](#):
>
> We were told in pharmacy school that if someone is found dead with a needle in their arm, they did not die from an overdose; they most likely died from an anaphylactic reaction to something the dose was cut with.

Frankly, that’s a medical urban myth. My semi-educated WAG is that \>80% of the people found dead with a needle in their arm died from an OD. This was borne out back when legitimately produced fentanyl for IV use was easier to obtain, and a whole bunch of anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists were found dead.

Anaphylaxis happens, to be sure. But when the opioid itself is well known for causing quick death, the smart money is on respiratory depression from overdose.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329/43 "2016-10-25T00:20:46Z")

</div>

> [@nearwildheaven](#):
>
> I could see where they might be used in other institutional settings; I’m just familiar with their use in hospice.
> 
> What happened to you, that a dressing change had to be done in the OR?

Got hit on my bicycle by a pickup truck/stock trailer.  
Broken femur and avulsion of part of the hamstring.

I had one of those vacuum dressings, the sponges were changed with debriding at the same time.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329/44 "2016-10-26T01:01:31Z")

</div>

> [@Ruken](#):
>
> Are you referring to LSD? I don’t actually know doses.
> 
> But yes, fentanyl is much easier to synthesize.

Back in the day, I’m talking 1960s, 1970s, LSD doses were in the 200 mcg range, plus or minus.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-street-heroin-being-laced-with-fentanyl/769329.md?page=2)