Fentanyl extremely unlikely to transmit through skin, experts say
Fentanyl in recent years has intensified the opioid epidemic in Tennessee and across America, but medical experts believe reports of contaminated money causing fentanyl overdoses may be creating confusion.
In June, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems announced on social media a member of the public found a folded dollar bill containing a powder substance. The drugs were found to be positive for methamphetamines and fentanyl. And in July, a Kentucky woman posted on Facebook that she went to a hospital after picking up a dollar bill in Nashville — she believed it was contaminated with drugs. The story was reported by local and national news outlets.
Can fentanyl be transmitted through the skin? Through inhalation?
Medical experts say it is not possible for powder fentanyl to be transmitted through the skin in a dose significant enough for symptoms or overdose. Transmission of the drug through inhalation is also highly unlikely.
"It is nearly impossible to inhale something on the street and it cause symptoms, much less an overdose," said Dr. Rebecca Donald, an assistant professor of pain medicine and anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
"Even if a person were exposed to fentanyl accidentally on the street, it would not be at doses high enough to absorb through the skin at clinically significant levels."
What to do if you see drugs in public
Captain Michael Buchanan of the Metro Nashville Police Department said the best advice he can give to members of the public who see drugs in public is not to touch them.
Buchanan works on the Specialized Investigations Division, which follows safety protocol when handling drugs or other substances during police operations. This includes wearing gloves, goggles and testing the drugs in an open air environment.
Buchanan said police primarily focus on intercepting the flow of drugs to the area and conducting community outreach where overdoses are frequent.
Why is fentanyl dangerous?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
Pharmaceutical fentanyl is prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain, while illicitly-manufactured fentanyl is added by illegal suppliers to other drugs for its extreme potency, which makes drugs cheaper and more dangerous, the CDC said.
The drug was responsible for up to three quarters of 2021 drug deaths in Tennessee.
Drug suppliers often disguise fentanyl in counterfeit prescription pills, which is why it can be difficult to track, the Metro Nashville Police Department said.
Opioid epidemic: Tennessee grapples with fentanyl crisis as thousands die
What about fentanyl patches?
Pharmaceutical fentanyl is sometimes used in the form of skin patches, Donald said. The form of fentanyl used for these patches is significantly different from the form that is commonly found in counterfeit pills and powder form.
Donald said the skin patches prescribed by medical professionals need to have contact with the skin for a prolonged period of time to deliver a dose. Powder fentanyl cannot transmit through the skin in the same way.
What are the signs of overdose?
Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”
Falling asleep or losing consciousness
Slow, weak, or no breathing
Choking or gurgling sounds
Limp body
Cold and/or clammy skin
Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)
How to respond to someone overdosing
Call 911 immediately
Administer naloxone, if available
Keep the person awake and breathing
Lay them on their side to prevent choking and stay with them until emergencyassistance arrives
Reach reporter Molly Davis at mdavis2@gannett.com or on Twitter @mollym_davis.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Fentanyl transmission through skin is 'nearly impossible,' experts say
