What is Fentanyl, what is the drug used for, are there side effects and how was it linked to Prince’s death?
Fentanyl is becoming alarmingly more common in the UK, with deaths caused by the drug rising by 29% in England and Wales in 2017
FENTANYL is a prescription painkiller that gives relief from chronic diseases and is said to be 100 times more powerful than morphine.
Here's all you need to know about the drug that Prince accidentally overdosed on - and has been linked to an increasing amount of deaths in the UK.
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a strong opioid painkiller that is used by many patients around the world suffering from chronic conditions.
It works by stopping pain signals being sent to the nerves in the brain, meaning users do not suffer any discomfort.
Due to its strength, it is highly controlled by doctors and pharmacists and cannot be prescribed for children.
It can be administered in patch form or can be injected into the body via a needle or a drip.
Hampshire Police Detective Superintendent Paul Barton, head of organised and serious crime in Southampton, said a major operation revealed the drug is becoming alarmingly more common.
He said: "It's a cutting agent that is mixed with various drugs, and people don't know what they're taking.
"It's 100 times stronger than morphine, and people aren't used to the strength."
A recreational user of Fentanyl described the disturbing effects of the drug in graphic detail, exclusively for The Sun Online.
"The first time I took it, it was instant... It almost incapacitated me," he said. "It's powerful, intense, like a hammer blow and you don’t get the chance to enjoy it."
How did Prince die of a Fentanyl overdose?
Pop legend Prince was found dead in an elevator at his Paisley Park home on April 21, 2016.
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Purple Rain star, 57, lay dead for up to six hours before he was found by his drummer Kirk Johnson and his personal assistant Meron Berkure.
Autopsy results revealed he died from an accidental overdose of Fentanyl.
Officers searching the singer's home found it was littered with containers of different pills.
Some were in prescription bottles under the name of Prince's pal Johnson.
Other bottles of pills were marked under the names of different drugs – but at least one of those tested positive for Fentanyl.
In March 2018, nearly two years after his death, a leaked toxicology report revealed Prince had an "exceedingly high" concentration of the drug in his system.
Dr Lewis Nelson, chairman of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said: “The amount in his blood is exceedingly high, even for somebody who is a chronic pain patient on fentanyl patches."
He called the concentrations of the drug “a pretty clear smoking gun.”
No criminal charges are being brought over the death of Prince.
Have there been any deaths linked to Fentanyl?
Deaths caused by the drug rose by 29% in England and Wales in 2017, according to figures from the .
There were 75 fatalities, up from 58 in 2016.
- Jemma Longthorp, 20, from Headington, Oxon, died in March 2017 from a cocktail of drugs she had bought online, including Fentanyl.
- In February 2017, a dad of three from Hull fell victim to the painkiller after mixing it with a deadly cocktail of drugs.
- Cheryl Towery also shared a photograph of her hugging her daughter Elaina for the last time in August 2017,
- A 10-year-old schoolboy is believed to be one of the youngest victims of the drug epidemic.
- Singer Lil Peep’s cause of death was revealed to be accidental overdose of Fentanyl and Xanax in December 2017.
In Barnsley and Leeds over Easter weekend 2017 there were six deaths linked to contaminated heroin, and tests on the recovered drugs found traces of Fentanyl.
There were six similar deaths in three weeks in Stockton-on-Tees, seven in eight weeks in Hull and a string of fatalities in Chipping Norton, Oxon, Blyth in Northumberland and Boston, Lincs.
Former undercover cop Neil Woods said at the time: “We face a fairly apocalyptic future if the Fentanyl problem is not tackled.
"There are more and more people dying, or coming close to it, because of this drug than ever before.";
What are Fentanyl drug patches used for?
For people suffering from ongoing, chronic pain, they may be given Fentanyl patches, which absorb the drug through the skin and into the bloodstream.
It is often given to cancer sufferers, especially those who are terminally ill and are receiving palliative care.
Other patients who may receive the drug include those who are undergoing anaesthetic for surgical procedures.
The side-effects associated with the patches include depression, stomach pain, itching, feeling cold and headaches.
Is there a risk of overdosing on Fentanyl?
Like most drugs, there is a high risk of overdosing on Fentanyl if you take more than the recommended dose.
And due to the drug being a powerful opoid, overdosing on it can prove to be fatal.
Police in cities across the US and Canada are also seeing people become hooked on the drug due to its highly-addictive nature.
Some even combine the drug with heroin or cocaine to create an even more potent formula, that heightens it effect of feeling relaxed.
most read in news
Are there any side effects of taking Fentanyl?
Although Fentanyl can prove to be an essential drug for people suffering with chronic pain, it can have some side effects.
Common side effects include minor ailments such as drowsiness, abdominal pain, headache, loss of appetite and anxiety.
Less common side effects are reported to include confusion, memory loss, low blood pressure, runny nose and tooth decay if using Fentanyl in the lozenge form.