- By Udechukwu Ikenna Valentine
Sir: Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has gained notoriety in recent years due to its potent nature and its role as a catalyst for opioid crises. Originally developed for medical purposes to alleviate severe pain, fentanyl has increasingly found its way into the illicit drug market, leading to a surge in overdose deaths due to the inability of users to accurately gauge dosage and thus becoming a subject of public health concern.
Fentanyl is incredibly potent, with 1mg having the same potency as 50mg of heroin, 67mg of oxycodone and 100mg of morphine. According to the American DEA (US version of Nigeria’s NDLEA), only 2mg of fentanyl can be lethal, depending on the person’s body size, past usage, and tolerance. Just 1kg of fentanyl can potentially kill 500,000 individuals.
Studies in America have identified fentanyl as the primary culprit in an alarming 52.7% of all overdose deaths. Similarly, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that fentanyl is the leading cause of the 93,000 deaths recorded in 2020 in the United States.
Fentanyl is particularly dangerous when used in non-medical settings, as users may inadvertently consume lethal doses, leading to respiratory depression, loss of consciousness, and death. Its presence in the illicit drug market has raised alarm across the world, from West to East.
Every country with a responsible government has been on the lookout for fentanyl red flags and is striving to control its circulation and prevent its abuse. When NDLEA put out a public notice about fentanyl in 2022, it was an indication that the agency was performing its watchdog duties effectively. When its operatives arrested a couple of Onitsha market traders in May and also busted a Warri drug gang in July, from whom caches of the deadly opioid were confiscated, it was a wake-up call for Nigerians.
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Without mincing words, the consequence of abuse of fentanyl on a large scale is frightening and therefore, it must be kept out of the illicit market in Nigeria by all means.
It must be said, however, that curbing the spread of fentanyl and the broader opioid crisis requires a multifaceted approach.
Prevention efforts include education and awareness about the risks of opioid abuse, promoting responsible prescribing practices among healthcare providers, and implementing stricter regulations to reduce the availability of illicit opioids.
The effort of NDLEA so far has been commendable.
There is no denying the fact that a robust synergy among the relevant regulatory bodies, and most importantly, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) and NAFDAC, will help to keep the public safe from the scourge of fentanyl.
These relevant bodies should have a strategic policy and campaign to keep fentanyl out of the Nigerian market.
•Udechukwu Ikenna Valentine,
Owerri, Imo State.