Without realizing it, they might bend over as their body tries to find a position that makes breathing easier. The bent-over position can make breathing problems worse, as being hunched over doesn’t allow the lungs to expand fully, depriving vital organs of oxygen. Individuals experiencing the fent fold often appear frozen in this unnatural posture, unable to respond or move for minutes to hours at a time. This occurrence has become commonplace in cities where fentanyl use has grown rampant. The sight of individuals in this bent-over stance has become a stark representation of the effects of the ongoing opioid crisis. Yes, the symbols μg (mu-g) and mcg are used interchangeably to denote the microgram.

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And that’s especially true today because of the dangers of fentanyl—an extremely potent synthetic opioid that’s been linked to the majority of overdose drugs in the U.S. today. In the national conversation about overdose, fentanyl is often framed as a single, wide-reaching crisis, but new evidence from five major U.S. cities suggests a more fragmented, complex reality. „Every overdose death is preventable, and every life lost is a reminder that compassion, harm reduction, treatment access, and honest conversations save lives.“

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Officers also found a handgun in the duffel bag Baber carried and he was arrested for possession with intent to deliver grams of fentanyl and being a felon Drug rehabilitation in possession of a firearm. Court documents show that on Jan. 20, 2024, police in Albuquerque stopped Baber and Burns for a traffic violation. However, officers began a search of their vehicle after seeing what they suspected to be three fentanyl pills on the floorboard of the vehicle. Clauson, who pleaded guilty to the same charge, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. „As alleged, Sainz Salazar served as a major producer of the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl shipments bound for the United States,“ U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. „In an operation carried out by the National Guard, the Mexican Army and Air Force, authorities detained Iván Valerio ‘N,’ alias ‘Mantecas,’ leader of a faction linked to the Beltrán Leyva organization,“ Garcia Harfuch wrote on X.

• Discover affordable rehab centers near you, offering easy access and convenience.
• Therefore, to convert mcg to mg, the value must be divided by 1,000.
• It is essential,” a former DEA agent who has previously worked in India on an assignment told Newsweek, on conditions of anonymity.
• The majority of overdoses were attributed to fentanyl consumed in combination with other substances.
• Place the sticky side of the used patch on the disposal unit and seal the entire package.
• Wilson hailed the work of his prosecutor – who has a reputation for securing stiff sentences – and vowed his office would continue its quest for justice on behalf of fentanyl trafficking victims across the state.

Georgia man sentenced to more than 3 years for threatening to kill Trump on TikTok Live

The fentanyl fold describes the characteristic posture adopted by individuals under the influence of fentanyl or other powerful opioids. Users appear to be “frozen” in a bent-over position, often with their upper body folded forward at an extreme angle, sometimes nearly touching their knees. This stance can last for extended periods, sometimes hours, while the person remains semi-conscious but fentanyl fold largely unresponsive to their surroundings. Only a relatively small portion of drug users deliberately seek out or prefer fentanyl—for the intense high and/or pain relief that it produces.

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• Read and follow the printed instructions on the disposal unit and use one unit for each patch.
• The information provided by Addiction Center is not a substitute for professional treatment advice.
• The patch could stick to someone else, such as when you hug them or if someone helps you put the patch on.
• For example, confusing micrograms (mcg) with milligrams (mg)—a unit 1,000 times larger—will inevitably result in a 1,000-fold overdose, a calculation error frequently leading to severe patient harm or death.
• Because fentanyl is so potent, it’s being mixed with lots of other illicit drugs being sold today, including heroin and cocaine.

It’s still too many and still too powerful and dangerous,” said Mayer, who also mentioned that mass overdoses have also declined. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 727,000 people in the United States have died from overdoses involving opioids since the epidemic began in 1999. In 2023, an average of 217 died daily from an opioid overdose, often from the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Other drug cocktails also contributed to fatal overdoses during that time period, Overmire said.

• A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine after surgery.
• India is a complicated node in the global fentanyl supply chain, but it is also a terrain where U.S. and Indian agencies are working together, sometimes quietly, to disrupt fentanyl networks before the drugs ever reach American streets.
• Our comprehensive, compassionate and unique treatment helps build a foundation for a healthy recovery and sober future.
• Prompt action in these situations can be the difference between life and death, as these signs often signal the onset of critical respiratory failure or other life-threatening complications like stroke or heart attack.
• This extreme potency is one of the main reasons that fentanyl is as dangerous as it is.
• The drug dulls both physical sensation and mental alertness, making you unaware of posture, surroundings, or danger.

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At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Ohio saw more than 5,000 overdose deaths, a 25% increase from 2019, according to Ohio Recovery Centers. The majority of overdoses were attributed to fentanyl consumed in combination with other substances. But by 2022, the number of overdose deaths began decreasing, hitting 2,927 deaths in 2024, according to preliminary data from the Ohio Department of Health. Fentanyl combined with cocaine was the single most common drug combination that contributed to fatal overdoses for the first nine months of 2025, accounting for 97 deaths, according to the data.

Why Fentanyl Users Bend Over (The Fentanyl Fold)

Some of the most common combinations that contributed to fatal overdoses for that same time period include fentanyl and methamphetamines, fentanyl with alcohol, and cocaine consumed with alcohol. While fentanyl remains the leading drug causing fatal overdoses in Franklin County, experts are warning that the powerful opioid is increasingly being found mixed with other recreational drugs and also leading to fatal overdoses. But this is more than a technical hurdle http://wp.haits.com/2022/10/19/alcohol-and-the-risk-of-dementia/ for health care providers, the researchers said. It’s a major barrier for people seeking treatment for opioid use disorder who experience rapid withdrawal symptoms or prolonged symptoms as a result. The study, published in JAMA Open Network, highlights the complexity of treating opioid use disorder.