With electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or vapes, now the most commonly used tobacco product among youth in the United States, health officials are raising concerns about reports of fentanyl-laced vaping devices.
Fentanyl is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid, about 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. A dose as small as a few grains of salt can be deadly.
Dr. Anjali Talcherkar, a researcher and writer who focuses on addiction treatment, says law enforcement and school officials across the country are reporting more incidents of fentanyl appearing in e-cigarettes and THC vape cartridges.
In one recent case, a juvenile court judge issued a public warning after a child nearly died after using a fentanyl-laced vape and may now face permanent organ damage.
Lucas Trautman, director of Oxford Treatment Center’s veterans program, told narcotics.com he has spoken with parents who believed their children were simply vaping or experimenting with cannabis, only to later discover the products contained powerful synthetic opioids.
In some cases, Trautman said that synthetic compounds such as nitazene and 7-OH are appearing in vape products that teenagers assume are safe. Nitazene is considered even more potent than fentanyl.
Concerns about contaminated vape products have also surfaced in schools. Last year, a high school in Douglas County, Nevada, reported confiscating vape pens containing marijuana, MDMA and fentanyl. In a joint statement with the school district, county law enforcement said the case “underscores the serious risks associated with vaping, particularly among youth.”
Talcherkar says dealers sometimes add opioids, including fentanyl, to products to increase their potency and potentially create future customers through drug dependency.
Health officials warn that any vaping device purchased illegally, whether through a friend, a dealer or online, carries a risk of containing substances beyond what is advertised. Even products sold in vape shops can sometimes contain unlisted ingredients.
In Louisiana, authorities recently raided more than five vape shops following a six-month investigation. Five people were arrested.
“The products that were seized in this operation are products that are illegal to sell anywhere in the United States, but some way or another they are being manufactured and making their way to our schools, our cities to our streets,” an investigator told KSLA News.
Last year, five smoke shop owners across South Dakota were indicted on drug charges following a statewide sting that uncovered the sale of illegal substances.
Symptoms of fentanyl exposure can include slow or difficult breathing, sedation, disorientation, dizziness, a slow pulse, low blood pressure and loss of consciousness. The overdose-reversal medication naloxone, also known as Narcan, can save a life if administered quickly.
Officials say if someone shows signs of a fentanyl overdose after vaping, call 911 immediately and administer Narcan if it is available.
Earlier this month, the South Dakota Legislature passed Senate Bill 221 and House Bill 1220, creating the state’s first comprehensive licensing and enforcement framework for retailers that sell vape, tobacco and alternative nicotine products. The legislation establishes a statewide licensing system, a penalty structure for violations and a dedicated enforcement fund — tools supporters say are needed to better protect children.
