The Truth About Opioids:
What You Need to Know to Stay Safe
At Tri-Town Youth Services, we know how quickly misinformation spreads about drugs — especially opioids. They’re often portrayed as powerful painkillers or something that “only happens to other people.” The truth is, opioids are among the most addictive and deadly substances in the country, and their reach extends far beyond hospital walls. Understanding what they are — and what they’re not — can help keep you, your family, and our community safe.
Opioids are a class of drugs that relieve pain by attaching to receptors in the brain and body, blocking pain signals much like a key fits into a lock. When used exactly as prescribed, they can be helpful for short-term pain after surgery or injury.
Common prescription opioids include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and fentanyl. Illegal opioids include heroin and illicit fentanyl, which is now a major driver of overdose deaths nationwide.
While these drugs can stop pain, they also slow breathing, cloud thinking, and alter the brain’s reward system. This combination makes them highly addictive — and in large doses, potentially fatal.
At first, opioids may seem harmless, especially when prescribed by a doctor. But even short-term use can change how the brain functions. Over time, people develop tolerance, meaning they need more of the drug to feel the same effect. This can quickly spiral into dependence, where the body relies on the drug to feel “normal.”
When someone stops taking opioids, their tolerance drops rapidly — but if they return to their previous dose, the same amount can overwhelm the body and cause overdose or death.
Other risks include:
Slowed breathing or heart rate
Extreme drowsiness and impaired judgment
Depression and anxiety
Severe withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop
The Fentanyl Crisis, and Why It’s Different
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 100 times stronger than morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. Initially developed for severe pain management, fentanyl has now entered the illegal drug supply — often hidden in counterfeit pills, powders, and street drugs.
You can’t see, smell, or taste it. Just two milligrams — about the size of a few grains of salt — can be deadly. Many overdoses happen because people don’t know the substance they’re taking contains fentanyl.
Carfentanil: Even More Dangerous
If fentanyl is potent, carfentanil is catastrophic.
Carfentanil is another synthetic opioid, used legally only to sedate large animals like elephants — never humans. It is estimated to be 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times stronger than fentanyl.
Even a microscopic amount can be fatal. Carfentanil has been found mixed into illicit fentanyl and heroin supplies, often without users’ knowledge. Its presence in the street drug market has led to sudden, widespread overdose clusters across the U.S.
There’s no safe way for humans to handle or ingest carfentanil. Even accidental skin contact or inhalation can be dangerous for first responders.
Xylazine: Not an Opioid, But Just as Risky
Recently, another dangerous drug has entered the supply — xylazine (pronounced ZY-luh-zeen), also known as “tranq”.
Xylazine is not an opioid. It’s a veterinary sedative that slows breathing and heart rate, and it’s being mixed with opioids like fentanyl to prolong their effects.
Because xylazine is not an opioid, Narcan (naloxone) — the medication that reverses opioid overdoses — does not fully counteract its effects. This makes overdoses involving xylazine even harder to treat.
People exposed to xylazine can experience:
Extreme sedation
Dangerously slow breathing and heart rate
Skin wounds and infections that don’t heal
Blackouts and memory loss
The rise of xylazine-laced opioids is especially alarming because it increases overdose deaths and reduces the chance of recovery, even when Narcan is used quickly.
The Bigger Picture
Opioids, whether prescription, counterfeit, or contaminated, are powerful drugs that can change how the brain and body function after just a few uses.
And with fentanyl, carfentanil, and xylazine now present in the illegal drug supply, the danger has never been greater.
Here’s what everyone should know:
One pill can kill. Fake pills often contain lethal amounts of fentanyl or carfentanil.
Tolerance doesn’t protect you. The same dose that felt “safe” before can be fatal after a break.
Narcan saves lives. Always call 911 and use Narcan if you suspect an opioid overdose, even if xylazine may be involved. It can still help with the opioid component.
If you or someone you know is struggling with prescription drug misuse or opioid use, help is available and recovery is possible.
Reach out to a trusted adult, teacher, or counselor, or contact one of these resources: Call or text 988, Crisis support is available 24/7.
Find treatment near you: SAMHSA.gov Learn more: Youth Substance Use & Mental Health Services in CT Explore options: Newport Academy Teen Treatment Centers in Connecticut
Most teens who misuse prescription drugs get them from friends or family — not dealers. Just because a medication is prescribed doesn’t mean it’s safe for everyone. There are safer, healthier ways to manage pain and stress.
Talking openly about the risks of opioids saves lives. Start the conversation today.
Test your knowledge!
Opioid Awareness Quiz