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Entity reports on the shocking statistics about Prince's fentanyl overdose.

On April 21, the 57-year-old icon, artist and inspiration Prince was found dead in the elevator of his Paisley Park home from an accidental overdose of the drug fentanyl.

Days before his death, Prince was treated in an Illinois hospital for a potential overdose of pain medication. The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the celebrity’s death as an accident due to overdose of the drug, which is usually prescribed by doctors to treat patients in the final stages of extremely painful diseases such as bone cancer.

Unfortunately, Prince’s sudden death has not been the drug’s only casualty.

An opioid 100 times the strength of morphine, fentanyl’s recreational use has become increasingly popular. According to the DEA, there are over 12 varieties of drugs that resemble fentanyl currently being produced in labs and trafficked.

Donna Leger from USA Today writes that “law enforcement seizures of illegal drugs containing fentanyl more than tripled between 2013 and 2014” and there were as many as 1,000 overdoses in Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia between 2005 and 2007 alone.

Fentanyl presents a high risk for addiction and dependence because, as Narconon writes, “fentanyl very quickly creates a tolerance to high doses, so a dose that is adequate for the intended high one week will probably not create that intended high even a few days later.” According to a report accompanied by the documentary “Death by Fentanyl,” this is a problem because “an amount the size of three grains of sugar is lethal to an adult.”

Fentanyl has also been found to be mixed with low-grade heroin in order to augment its effects. Like heroin, fentanyl is used to produce a warm, comfortable feeling. Users report, however, that the euphoric effects of fentanyl are diminished in comparison to heroin. When the two drugs are combined, it accounts for a significant proportion of American recreational heroin overdoses.

As Narconon writes, using the drug (and other drugs) continuously after starting will “walk [people] straight into addiction.” Aside from death by overdose, fentanyl addictions can also lead to a host of physical and mental health problems. Physically, the Drug Abuse website says addicts may experience gastrointestinal problems, weakened immune systems, difficulty breathing and occasional seizures. Mentally, fentanyl can lead to paranoia, social withdrawal, lack of motivation and personality changes.

Additionally, many addiction cases are accompanied by “a deterioration in personal integrity.” Fentanyl addicts typically have secrets from most or all of the people they encounter on a daily basis. These secrets include various unethical and criminal acts such as theft, prescription fraud or “doctor-shopping.”

Because these effects are so serious and because the drug is so highly addictive, it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms fentanyl users display. Look out for confusion, depression, difficulty walking and labored breathing. Fentanyl addicts may even have slurred speech or be dizzy. For a more comprehensive list, visit the Drug Abuse website.

For more information about the drug and how to help someone who may be struggling, visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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