Drug addiction is a continuing problem in the UK. In the latest ONS release, 5,448 drug-related deaths were recorded in England and Wales – which is a considerable increase from the previous year.

Opioids are a big reason for these numbers. Excluding drug-related deaths where the substances involved are not mentioned, opioids are responsible for 60.7% of the drug-poisoning deaths.

The main cause of this is the rise of synthetic opioids – including carfentanil. This is an extremely dangerous drug, so it’s important to know the dangers of carfentanil, how overdoses are treated and what support is out there for you.

What is Carfentanil?

Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid which was first synthesised in the 1970s. Opioids are a type of drug that is mainly used for pain relief in medical settings. When abused, though, they can be dangerous and quickly addictive.

Being synthetic means that the drug is man-made. Heroin is an opioid derived from the poppy plant whereas carfentanil is created in a lab.

Carfentanil is closely related to another well-known synthetic opioid, fentanyl, but is much more dangerous. Carfentanil is far stronger than other synthetic opioids. It is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more so than morphine, a common opioid used in medical settings.

Carfentanil effects include euphoria, pain relief, relaxation, sedation and suppressed breathing.

Intended Use in Veterinary Medicine

The primary legal use of carfentanil has been in veterinary circles. It is used as a tranquiliser for large animals such as elephants, hippos and rhinos.

It is unsuitable for humans because of its potency. Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal to a human, and carfentanil is 100 times stronger. Just one microgram of it will start to interact with your body once ingested.

It is also dangerous as it can become airborne. The toxicity of the drug and this airborne quality leave the risk that it could be used as a chemical weapon – it has even been compared to nerve gas.

Illicit Use and Rising Concerns

From 1993 to 2019, opiate-related deaths rose 388% in England and Wales. This rise is due to drugs like carfentanil and fentanyl entering the drug market through the rise of drug traffickers switching to synthetic opioids. This is because after the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, they prohibited opium production so suppliers have looked for alternatives.

Carfentanil is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin, to increase bulk and profit margins, meaning people unknowingly take it.

There is rising concern about these types of opioids, with the National Crime Agency stating in 2024 that, “there has never been a more dangerous time to take drugs.”

The police and public health face many concerns. People take the drug without knowing it, increasing the risk of overdoses. These types of drugs are easily procured cheaply from China and other countries via online delivery. Now, deep criminal connections are not needed to supply profitable drugs to people.

Health Risks and Overdose Potential

Even if you don’t mean to take carfentanil, you can be exposed to it. A tiny amount of carfentanil can be lethal, so any form of exposure puts you at risk. Those who deliberately take a drug that they don’t know contains carfentanil are the most in danger.

Risks of carfentanil exposure include:

  • Respiratory depression
  • Unconsciousness
  • Potential death
  • Heart failure

Law enforcement, medical professionals and the general public are also at risk as carfentanil is dangerous to the touch and when airborne. If people respond to a situation without protection and carfentanil is present, exposure is a big possibility – resulting in an overdose.

Symptoms of Carfentanil Overdose

Carfentanil overdose is a serious concern that you need to be aware of. Due to the drug’s potency, an overdose can progress rapidly, so it’s important to know what symptoms to be aware of.

Carfentanil overdose symptoms include:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Extreme drowsiness
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Skin turning blue
  • Loss of muscle control
  • Myosis (pinpoint pupils)
  • Confusion and disorientation

If you suspect that a carfentanil overdose is happening, you need to seek immediate medical attention. When it comes to this drug, there is a serious chance of death due to an overdose.

How Carfentanil Overdose is Treated

A carfentanil overdose can be treated with naloxone (Narcan).

Before you administer, you should call 999 and try to wake the person up. Then check to see if anything is blocking their airways and put them in the recovery position.

Naloxone can come in the form of an injection, that you inject into the thigh or upper arm, or a nasal spray that you put in their nose and press down the plunger.

Multiple doses may be required when it comes to carfentanil due to the strength of the drug. In between doses, you should perform CPR if needed, try to wake them and do rescue breathing.

If an overdose is reversed, medical professionals still need to deal with the person as they will not be in a good state and should be monitored to stop them from falling unconscious once more.

The Rising Public Health Crisis

In the US, deaths related to carfentanil rose around 720% between 2023 and 2024. A report from 2021 found that carfentanil is highly available via the dark web and progress is needed to deal with the rising threat of its distribution

There is no specific data on carfentanil in the UK, but there were 2551 opiate-involved deaths in 2023. Due to the potency of carfentanil, the drug rarely shows up in toxicology reports – which are not always performed. As carfentanil and other synthetic opioids are often unknowingly ingested, hidden away in heroin and other substances, there are likely countless deaths caused by it.

Organisations are responding in more progressive ways to the rising distribution of synthetic opioids. Music festivals and clubs such as Warehouse Project have brought in drug testing, so people can know what they are taking. In Glasgow, a drug consumption room has opened so users can more safely take drugs – with staff on hand to deal with overdoses.

The government have banned more synthetic opioids, increased access to naloxone, enhanced the drug surveillance system and implemented a Synthetic Opioid Taskforce.

How to Stay Safe and Prevent Exposure

There are many dangers of carfentanil, so those in recovery and others need to stay safe from it. If you are in recovery, the safe measures you can take are to avoid areas you used to go that link to your drug use and avoid old friends. This is a sure fire way to prevent accidental exposure.

First responders deal with carfentanil exposure by wearing gloves, washing hands if exposed, using approved respiratory equipment if going into a situation where it may be airborne and having naloxone with them.

You can practice harm reduction techniques such as having fentanyl strips to know if carfentanil or other unwanted synthetic opioids are in what you are about to take. Drug purity test kits are also available so you can be aware of the potency and purity of what you take.

Education and outreach are the primary ways to promote safety. Where opioid abuse is more prominent, such as in the North East of England, programmes should be more active to help the local communities. With more people aware of dangerous and unwanted substances being in their drugs, they take steps to make positive changes.

Support for Addiction and Recovery

Carfentanil may sound scary, but the good news is that support is available.

At Ocean Recovery, we are a private drug and alcohol rehab that provides comprehensive bespoke addiction treatment programmes. We can help you achieve long-term recovery with our array of therapies, medication-assisted treatment and peer support groups.

Through this approach, you can tackle both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction. Afterwards, using our ongoing support and utilising resources such as the organisations above can help you stay on track and remain sober for life.

Get Help from Ocean Recovery Today

After asking, what is carfentanil? Hopefully, you know that it is nothing good. It’s an extremely dangerous drug but you need to be aware of it as it can be present in substances without you knowing – putting you at severe risk of an overdose.

If you are struggling with an opioid addiction, we at Ocean Recovery can help. We offer support and many treatment options.

Start your recovery journey today by calling 0800 880 7596.

John Gillen - Director at Ocean Recovery

John Gillen - Author - Last updated: February 14, 2025

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.