Fentanyl Exposure Dangers

25.75 tons of Fentanyl seized by Mexican Navy
https://gadfly01.blogspot.com/2019/08/2575-tons-of-fentanyl-seized-by-mexican.html

This Shipment of Fentanyl power from China could kill everyone in the US if put in the water supply or sprayed into the air or put on our food supply.  Mexico is now in control of this shipment.  It is highly unlikely that this massive shipment was meant to be pressed into pills for the drug trade.
There are no reports if the US government is working with Mexico to destroy this shipment.
Is the US at risk for a fentanyl terrorist attack?

On average, 2mg of fentanyl is enough to kill someone. 23,368kg is 23.368 billion milligrams, or enough to kill 11.684 billion people.

 APPEARANCE: Crystals or crystalline powder.

• DESCRIPTION: Fentanyl is a member of the class of drugs known as fentanyls, rapid-acting opioid (synthetic opiate) drugs that alleviate pain without causing loss of consciousness (analgesic). Fentanyl depresses central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory function. Exposure to fentanyl may be fatal. Fentanyl is estimated to be 80 times as potent as morphine and hundreds of times more potent than heroin. It is a drug of abuse. Fentanyl (and other opioids) could possibly be used as an incapacitating agent to impair a person’s ability to function. In October 2002, the Russian military reportedly used “a fentanyl derivative” against terrorists holding hostages in a Moscow theater; 127 of the hostages died. (It is unclear whether the gas used also included other chemical agent(s).) Fentanyl is odorless.
• METHODS OF DISSEMINATION:
  • Indoor Air: Fentanyl can be released into indoor air as fine particles or liquid spray (aerosol).
  • Water: Fentanyl can be used to contaminate water.
  • Food: Fentanyl can be used to contaminate food.
  • Outdoor Air: Fentanyl can be released into outdoor air as fine particles or liquid spray (aerosol).
  • Agricultural: If fentanyl is released into the air as fine particles or liquid spray (aerosol), it has the potential to contaminate agricultural products.
• ROUTES OF EXPOSURE: Fentanyl can be absorbed into the body via inhalation, oral exposure or ingestion, or skin contact. It is not known whether fentanyl can be absorbed systemically through the eye. Fentanyl can be administered intravenously (IV), intramuscularly (IM), or as a skin patch (transdermally).

Entire report at
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/emergencyresponsecard_29750022.html


Dermal precautions

• For routine handling of these drugs, nitrile gloves provide sufficient protection.
  
• In situations where an enclosed space is heavily contaminated with a potential highly potent opioid, water resistant coveralls should be worn.
  
• Incidental dermal exposures should immediately be washed with copious amounts of water. Alcohol based hand sanitizers should not be used for decontamination as they do not wash opioids off the skin and may increase dermal drug absorption.
  

Respiratory precautions

• In the unusual circumstance of significant airborne suspension of powdered opioids, a properly fitted N95 respirator or P100 mask is likely to provide reasonable respiratory protection.

Entire report at
https://www.acmt.net/cgi/page.cgi/_zine.html/The_ACMT_Connection/ACMT_Statement_on_Fentanyl_Exposure

Dangers of Fentanyl to First Responders
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/fentanyl/risk.html