Sheriff’s Department Accused Of Faking A Fentanyl Overdose In Viral Video

Fentanyl is a very strong opioid that has become more and more common in overdose stories from street drugs, often mixed in with other substances. People who overdose on the synthetic opioid don’t always know that’s what they’re taking, and there has been a lot of emphasis on education and the distribution of naloxone, which is used to combat overdoses. Or you could just make up a bunch of lies, like The Daily Dot reports the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department recently did on social media.

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The SCSD recently shared a video of a new cop supposedly overdosing on fentanyl—but not because he ingested it. They claimed he was exposed by touching or inhaling the drug. However, it is extremely unlikely that anyone would overdose from having some fentanyl touch their skin, unless they were bathing in it or something.

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Even the American College of Medical Toxicology says handling the drug by accident is “unlikely to cause opioid toxicity,” and inhaling it through the air could only happen in “exceptional circumstances.”

In the clip, the officer does appear to collapse after handling a substance that we’re told is fentanyl, and his superior officer calls an ambulance to administer the naloxone. He ends up being fine, but some people watching are convinced that either the whole video is being faked, or the officer’s condition is being misdiagnosed and has nothing to do with fentanyl.

This is very obviously not a fentanyl overdose to anyone who has actually seen one or knows how they work, and you should be ashamed of yourselves for advancing this disproven narrative that hurts people.

— Ryan Marino (@RyanMarino) August 6, 2021

I give fentanyl every single day, often very quickly. This is not a fentanyl OD. Also fentanyl doesn’t work that way or every anesthesiologist in the world would be dead.

— The Annasthesiologist (@fuzzymittens) August 6, 2021

I’ve responded to dozens of actual fentanyl overdoses. They do not fall in a controlled manner like this person. Also, why is this mans lips pink? If he couldn’t breathe, his lips would be blue and his skin ashen. He has very good colour. I agree. Panic attack. Heat. Not fentanyl

— Alida (she/her) (@alidafernhout) August 6, 2021

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If fentanyl is so unsafe how did you manage to transport it from the truck to the squad car?

And your boot is not wearing gloves while handling evidence AND narcotics? Please

You guys really should have thought this through a little better before putting it in the public record

— Alex Villanueva confuses due and do (@KulonMusk) August 6, 2021

Autocorrect — was supposed to be fentanyl but fantasy works too

— Josh Mugele (He/Him) (@jmugele) August 6, 2021

Truth! Have had Fentanyl drip on my hand/finger when drawing it up for a patient and it hasn’t killed me yet.

— Dawn Kelly (@run4pancakes) August 6, 2021

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Patients and their caregivers change fentanyl patches at home, without problems and have been doing so for many years.

— Joanna Gowans (@gowans_k) August 6, 2021

Alexa play “I Will Remember You” by Sarah McLachlan

— HIPPO: It’s the law (@californiabarby) August 6, 2021

This was not an overdose. The officer seems to have passed out (completely unrelated to fentanyl). Please stop spreading misinformation.

— Kelly Doran MD MHS (@KellyMDoran) August 6, 2021

SDCSD is sticking to their story instead of admitting that the officer could have just passed out or had a panic attack.

We know what factually happened and our deputy almost died from a fentanyl exposure. This is a deadly substance!

— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) August 6, 2021

“We know what factually happened and our deputy almost died from a fentanyl exposure,” they wrote. “This is a deadly substance!”

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Yes, it is, but like most deadly substances, it actually has to be inside your body to kill you.

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*First Published: August 7, 2021, 8:36 am