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ELI5 How the whole touching fentanol you could overdose got started? In med industry we laugh about cops saying they get high or overdosed on it by touching it. ? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/explainlikeimfive@lemmy.world
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[–] 8 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Wait, for real? I know a lot of people saying this is possible and I've read stories of it happening. I just believed it. I guess I just never felt I had a reason to look into it.

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  • [–] 38 points 1 year ago (4 children)

    Cops started the rumor. Cops kept OD’ing after pocketing product from dealers they had busted. Instead of publicly admitting that they had a corruption and addiction problem, they started the myth that fentanyl can be absorbed through the skin. So when a cop needs narcan, they can just claim it was an accidental skin contact.

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  • [–] -2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    It is possible to absorb fentanyl through the skin, that part's not a myth. Transdermal patches are a thing.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago

    Thats not fentanyl slapped on an adhesive bandage. Thats specifically formulated with other additives to do that. Drug dealers would have to add a lot of time and know how just to REDUCE how effective the straight fent was.

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  • [–] 5 points 1 year ago

    Its not possible. Every medic and nurse has had more fentanyl on them unprotected than these cops could dream of.

    Maybe if you ripped open a pack, shoved a leaf blower in there, and then stood in the aerosolized powder for awhile?

    You will never OD from touching fentanyl, it doesnt penetrate the skin unless specicifically formulated to and drug dealers aren't doing extra massively skilled work to lower their products bioavailability.

    Cops are being fucking weenies again.

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