Fentanyl is a potent and, therefore, dangerous opioid drug. It is many times more potent than naturally-derived opiates, like morphine. It is also cheaper to manufacture, as people can synthesize fentanyl in laboratories instead of relying on the mass production of poppies to extract their latex.
Fentanyl’s potency has made it a common adulterant in street drugs in recent years. Anyone implicated in the distribution of drugs contaminated with fentanyl could potentially face more serious charges than the state might otherwise bring.
Fentanyl contamination causes overdoses
When people are not aware that there is fentanyl in a drug that they purchase, they may consume more than is safe. Many serious medical emergencies, including deadly overdoses, begin with a drug user acquiring a substance contaminated with fentanyl.
Law enforcement researchers have found fentanyl in everything from heroin to counterfeit pills sold on the unregulated market. Those distributing drugs to others may not even realize that what they received from a supplier contains fentanyl.
If they get arrested, they may face much more serious penalties, as the state can charge them as though the entirety of the drugs found consisted of fentanyl. Instead of charging a person for a specific amount of primary drug and a small amount of fentanyl, the state can the entire weight of the drugs as though it were fentanyl.
The possibility exists for people to face very serious felony charges over trace amounts of fentanyl. The courts are also very likely to prosecute aggressively, as fentanyl has a strong association with both addiction and overdose.
Anyone accused of distributing drugs contaminated with fentanyl may – very understandably – need help fighting those accusations in criminal court. Working with a criminal defense lawyer is of the utmost importance for those facing felony drug charges in Alabama as a result.