Fatal by any other name: Fentanyl street names can be confusing

BIG STONE GAP – Fentanyl, like many controlled substances, has its nicknames among dealers, distributors and users.Developed in the 1950s as an intravenous anesthetic, fentanyl in recent years has found its way into other street drugs and counterfeit versions of other drugs and increased the danger of fatal overdoses.Since it hides in versions of other illicit drugs, according to some law enforcement officers, those nicknames can be a source of confusion when it comes to identifying its presence."We mainly hear it called slow, fent or fenty, when we listen to recordings our agents have made" said Virginia State Police Special Agent Chris Gilley, coordinator for the Southwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force. "When our agents are testifying in court, we use specific chemical names for fentanyl and other drugs."SWVA Drug Task Force agents typically deal more with crystal methamphetamine distribution and use in Southwest Virginia and neighboring states, said Gilley, but methamphetamine is one of the substances where fentanyl can be added to increase their potency.A 2018 federal Drug Enforcement Agency report on street names for various controlled substances lists 44 slang names for fentanyl. Some of those names, however, stem from confusion with other drugs where fentanyl can be mixed. The DEA list includes:Apache; Birria (fentanyl mixed with heroin); Blonde; Blue Diamond; Blue Dolphin; Blues; Butter; China Girl; China Town; China White; Chinese; Chinese Buffet; Chinese Food; Crazy; Crazy One; Dance Fever; Dragon; Dragon's Breath; F; Food; Freddy; Fuf (furanyl fentanyl); Facebook (fentanyl mixed with heroin in pill form); Fent; Fenty; Fire; Friend; Girl; Goodfella; Great Bear; Gray Stuff; He-Man; Heineken; Huerfanito; Humid; Jackpot; King Ivory; Lollipop; Murder 8; Nal; Nil; Nyl; Opes; Pharmacy; Poison; Shoes; Snowflake; Tango and Cash; TNT; Toe Tag Dope; White Girl; White LadiesGilley said many of those nicknames may be heard in areas of the U.S. where fentanyl manufacturing is prevalent, but they may not be used frequently or at all in areas like Southwest Virginia."Where we are in Southwest Virginia, we're not a source area for fentanyl," Gilley said.Pacific Sands Recovery Center, based in Orange County, California, refers to how some nicknames can cause confusion when trying to determine fentanyl's popular identities."Because it is a common practice to cut fentanyl without informing anyone that it happened, many times, the substance begins to take on the exact slang words as another." The Pacific Sands website states. "For example, Apache may refer to fentanyl, but it can also mean cocaine. Other names for cocaine that can also mean fentanyl include Blonde and Snowflake. Slang words for heroin that can also indicate fentanyl include Poison and Dragon."Some emojis in text messages can also represent both fentanyl and other illicit substances, according to the Pacific Sands website. A red and yellow caplet emoji could mean hydrocodone, oxycodone, Xanax, Adderall or ecstasy. A hypodermic syringe emoji could refer to fentanyl, heroin or cocaine. A snail emoji generally means fentanyl only.Counterfeit Roxicet pills – often called blue Roxicet or Roxy — can contain fentanyl, Gilley said."When we encounter blue Roxicet, we assume that it's fentanyl," Gilley said, adding that potential fentanyl crime scenes are treated as hazmat situations with emergency services backing up agents for decontamination or treatment for exposure to powdered fentanyl."It takes such a minute amount to render someone down," Gilley said. "It could be on other pieces of evidence at a scene, like wrappers or cell phones. The Drug Task Force has had instances where agents have been exposed to fentanyl when collecting evidence and been incapacitated."Keeping up with what fentanyl is called is one aspect that depends on regional and national cooperation among agencies, Gilley said."Our greatest asset is cooperation and networking with other agencies on a national and even international basis," said Gilley.The SWVA Regional Drug Task Force works frequently with similar organizations in Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia, Gilley said."If you don't maintain those relationships, you're doomed from the start," Gilley added.Online- DEA report on drug street names, 2018 — https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Fentanyl-2020_0.pdf- Pacific Sands Recovery Center — https://pacificsandsrecovery.com/street-names-for-fentanyl/