Carfentanil Signs, Symptoms and Side Effects
Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid and a fentanyl analog, meaning it is very similar to fentanyl, albeit more potent and cheaper. Carfentanil is 10,000 times more lethal than morphine, and 1,000 times more powerful than fentanyl. Due to its potency, it is used as an anesthesia or as a tranquilizing medicine for large animals like elephants. Even for medical purposes, carfentanil use with humans is not approved because even a small amount of the drug can be deadly.
Many drug dealers mix carfentanil and fentanyl into heroin and cocaine due to their similar white powder-like substance. This practice is extremely dangerous for people intending to take heroin or cocaine because they could ingest carfentanil without knowing it — which could have severe consequences. It’s often tough to distinguish carfentanil from heroin or cocaine.
However, there are a few common signs of misuse to look for to identify someone experiencing a carfentanil high
- Apache
- China White
- China Girl
- Drop Dead
- Gray Death
- Serial Killer
- Tango and Cash
- TNT
If someone is casually using any of these names, looking to buy carfentanil online or interested in taking heroin, fentanyl or cocaine, they might be misusing carfentanil. If so, they are in danger of not only overdosing, but of building a dependence on opioids and drugs in general.

- Runny nose
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Excessive sweating
- Anxiety
- Muscle aches
- Depression
- Inability to concentrate
Carfentanil was first synthesized in 1974 by a team of chemists and came to the U.S. from China. The Drug Enforcement Agency classified carfentanil as a Schedule II substance under the Controlled Substances Act. However, that designation has not stopped the drug from ending lives and becoming a major hurdle in the war on drugs in North America.
In 2017, in Alberta, Canada, carfentanil misuse caused 125 overdose deaths, which was nearly 100 more than what occurred in 2016. In the United States, Arizona had its first carfentanil overdose case in August of 2017, and Cincinnati, Ohio, had more than 30 overdoses related to carfentanil in 2016. Yet, medical professionals have difficulty tracking carfentanil misuse due to how the drug can be masked with other substances such as heroin and cocaine. Therefore, accurately identifying the number of overdose deaths caused by carfentanil is tough.
Medical Disclaimer: The Recovery Village aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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