What Does Smoked Fentanyl Smell Like?

Identifying the Signs and Smells of Fentanyl Abuse

Illicit fentanyl is one of the most dangerous substances drug dealers peddle today. If you’re reading this, you are probably concerned for a friend’s or loved one’s well-being. If fentanyl use is suspected, you are likely asking yourself: What does smoked fentanyl smell like?

Fentanyl doesn’t have a distinct smell or taste and can be undetectable in its pure form. That’s why it causes so many overdose deaths. Street dealers mix fentanyl with other drugs, with users unaware of its presence. A person may believe they’re smoking crack cocaine, uninformed of the presence of fentanyl powder until they smoke it. The drug’s potency and its interactions with different drugs make unwitting fentanyl use very dangerous.

Ingrained Recovery is a luxurious rehab ranch in Eastman, Georgia. We understand your concern about your loved one, especially given the high rate of opioid overdose deaths in recent years. We offer opioid addiction treatment options that help people end their struggles with fentanyl and any other substances they take.

If you’re ready to help someone get help with an opioid use disorder, then please keep reading to learn more about fentanyl and how Ingrained Recovery can offer fresh hope.

Fentanyl Has No Odor, Unlike Other Street Drugs

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl were designed in a lab to be highly potent and effective in the tiniest of doses. The lab-made chemical structure produces no discernable odor or taste, so identifying pure fentanyl by odor alone is practically impossible.

However, there are other ways of detecting it use, as substances often used as a cutting or bonding agent (in the case of counterfeit Percocet pills often referred to as ‘blues’) do cause an odor when burned.

In this case, any “fentanyl smell” detected in smoke is another drug or cutting agent. Manufacturers often add these to create counterfeit pills, either for bonding purposes or in an attempt to provide a more rapid onset that makes their product more addictive. Of course, adding to the level of drug addiction means boosting their illicit sales.

The most common odor produced by these cutting agents is a faintly chemical smell, depending on what is used in the pill pressing process. Even in the case of ‘raw’ powdered fentanyl, forms of industrial plastic such as BTMPS are being used to adulterate the drug and stretch out already exorbitant profits.

The smell in this case can resemble burning plastic.

Fentanyl as Legitimate Pharmaceutical Products

Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a tightly controlled substance. The FDA has approved its use for managing severe pain, especially in cancer patients. It is also FDA-approved for hospice care patients, keeping people comfortable in their final days.

Fentanyl also helps suppress the central nervous system, making it an option for medical professionals administering twilight sedation during minor surgeries or dental procedures.

When prescribed by a doctor, fentanyl comes in several forms:

• Transdermal patches
• Tablets or pills
• Lozenges
• Nasal sprays
• Oral films
• Lollipops
• IV liquid (in a clinical setting)

While the illicit drug market has given fentanyl a bad name, it’s also good to be aware of the drug’s legitimate medical applications.

Are They Using Fentanyl vs Other Drugs?

Since you suspect fentanyl addiction, but it’s an odorless drug, you might be curious about the aromas associated with your loved one’s drug abuse. The following sections will share some quick facts about fentanyl and other street drug smells and appearances.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that fentanyl can be unknowingly present in any of the following illicit drugs, making it a deadly opioid.

Identifying Fentanyl (Powder Form or Tablets)

Because fentanyl smoke is odorless, it can be helpful to know what signs to look for. Street fentanyl may come in white or cream-colored powder or brightly colored pills called rainbow fentanyl. The pills are vibrant to attract younger users, but the most common color is blue (to mimic Percocet 30 mg pills).

Heroin (Powder or Black Tar-like Substance)

Heroin can be a white or brown powder or a black, sticky substance – black tar heroin. Smoked heroin smell can be much like vinegar. They smell like vinegar because of the presence of acetic acid in its preparation for sale.

Crystal Meth Smell and Appearance

Meth comes in a crystallized powder form or solid chunks. Meth smells like cat urine or chemicals due to laboratory processes, which may add lye, acetone, lithium from batteries, brake fluid, or hydrochloric acid.

Crack Cocaine

Crack is cocaine in more affordable small white or off-white rocks that users smoke. Crack odor emits a strong chemical smell like burning plastic or rubber. The toxins and chemicals in crack can also cause a noticeably unpleasant body odor. The body smells worsened by a lack of attention to personal hygiene with crack use.

PCP (Phencyclidine)

PCP is available as a white crystalline powder or a liquid. Like many of the other drugs we’ve mentioned, PCP smells are both strong and synthetic. It contains many chemicals found in household cleaning products.

Detect Fentanyl in Certain Drugs Using Test Strips

Fentanyl’s odorless at its root form, and there’s no distinguishable fentanyl taste.

So, how can someone tell if synthetic opioids are in a loved one’s drug supply? Fentanyl test strips offer insight into the drug’s presence. They can detect fentanyl in pills, powders, and injectable forms of drugs.

Fentanyl test strips are easy to use and can reveal fentanyl’s presence within moments. Many local health departments or needle exchange centers offer these test kits. You can also find them at many drugstores or online.

Handling Fentanyl Test Strips Safely

Fentanyl can be as much as 100 times more potent than morphine. A fatal dose of fentanyl is smaller than 15 grains of table salt.

If you’re testing drugs for your consumption or a family member, use extreme caution before potential fentanyl exposure. Even handling the drug without direct consumption can lead to a fatal dose. Wear a mask and gloves and use extreme caution while using test strips on other drugs.

Even police officers have overdosed on fentanyl while interacting with the public. One Indiana law enforcement officer, Lieutenant Troy Wilson, accidentally inhaled a small dose of fentanyl after pulling over an unlicensed motorist. He quickly started to notice the effects of a fentanyl overdose. As he was losing consciousness, he was able to radio for assistance. The Indianapolis Fire Department responded to the medical emergency and reversed the inadvertent fentanyl use with Narcan to save Wilson’s life.

Steps to Substance Abuse Recovery

Drugs change how people interact with family members and friends. If you want to have a conversation with someone about exploring professional treatment options, it can be helpful to have an overview of what they might expect.

Intake and Assessment

The recovery journey at Ingrained starts with an intake and assessment process. We will get to know each individual better personally and medically. We’ll discover their substance abuse history, medical history, and any trauma or additional mental health disorders that may have contributed to the fentanyl use.

This information helps us ensure client safety and helps us craft an effective program. This step is particularly important after a fentanyl overdose.

Detox Program That Minimizes Withdrawal Symptoms

After intake, clients undergo a medically supervised detox. Fentanyl binds to the opioid receptors of the brain, and stopping without supervision can put you at significant risk of developing complications. Some of the key detox symptoms are:

• Agitation and anxiety
• Muscular aches or cramps
• Sweating
• Abdominal cramping, nausea
• Runny nose
• Cravings for fentanyl
• Excessive sweating
• Fast heart rate and high blood pressure
• Quickened breathing rate

These can range from moderately uncomfortable to dangerous. An addiction treatment center can provide prescription drugs to help counteract those symptoms to ensure your safety.

Psychotherapy and Counseling

Ingrained Recovery takes a highly personalized, holistic approach to psychotherapy and counseling. Our services address the specific needs of each client. We often offer cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed CBT.

Our therapists are licensed and compassionate – they’re among Georgia’s best! They’re fully committed to helping clients achieve lasting sobriety using evidence-based therapies.

Discussing Fentanyl Addiction Treatment

By now, you know that fentanyl has no scent, and you know you can use test strips to detect whether a family member is using it or different drugs. It’s time to have a challenging conversation. How do you open up a conversation about quitting fentanyl abuse?

Choose a comfortable and private setting. Stay calm and don’t judge; ask open-ended questions and be ready to listen without interrupting. After they’ve shared, express your concern without accusing them or making it about your feelings.

Offer to stay connected and supportive if they seek help. For example, you might offer to help them research treatment options or drive them to visit their first-choice option. Have a list of local resources, such as Narcotics Anonymous or SMART Recovery groups, prepared in case they reject seeing a medical professional – a local meeting is a baby step in the right direction.

If they are unwilling to get help right now, let them know you will help them take the following steps when ready. Seek support to manage your distress, such as finding a local Alanon group.

Get Help Overcoming Fentanyl: Reach Out to Ingrained Today

Fentanyl has no scent or taste, but it can devastate lives. The almost undetectable drug leads to severe addiction, broken families, and overdose deaths. Most who struggle with opioid use disorder, which includes fentanyl, cannot stop without support from a professional recovery center.

If you found this post because you wanted to know what fentanyl smells like out of concern for a loved one, it’s time to encourage that person to seek help. We can also help if your loved one has overdosed and needs immediate help after stabilization. Ingrained Recovery accepts limited same-day admissions.

We work with most major insurance plans and accept self-pay clients. Our insurance coordinators even contact insurers on behalf of clients, successfully obtaining pre-authorizations.

We are here to help your family member or friend; help them call us today.