Fentanyl Has a Long History of Abuse

By Rachel Stockton

For the last two weeks, Diprivan, an anesthesia used by hospitals and purportedly abused by Michael Jackson before his death, has been in the news. Described as a drug that acts quickly then leaves the system as soon as the IV drip is stopped, there is a razor thin line between being given the right dose for surgery, and overdose that leads to death.

Although Diprivan seems to be relatively unknown as a typical drug used by addicts, there is another anesthesia drug that is more popular with medical professionals who are addicts: Fentanyl.

Fentanyl was the drug of choice for Kristen Diane Parker, the surgical technician who substituted syringes Fentanyl-prepped for surgery with saline. Adding more complexity to an already ugly situation, Parker has Hepatitis C.  

Fentanyl, which has been around since 1980, is a highly potent synthetic opiate, thought to be 100 times stronger than morphine. According to a New York Times report, it is not unusual for doctors and nurses to become addicted to the drug. As long ago as 1991, Fentanyl was responsible for the deaths of 18 doctors, nationwide. And, unlike Diprivan, Fentanyl has been sold on the streets on a regular basis, sometimes as heroin; at other times, dealers have used it to lace other street drugs.

Parker’s father attempted to have her released into his custody, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Schaffer declined the release, due to the fact that in the past Parker had stolen drugs while she lived with her parents.

The drug is popular with addicted medical personnel because it is difficult to detect in the urine, and because it leaves the system quickly. Laura M, an RN from Philadelphia, managed to steal the drug for several months before she got caught. In an effort to keep her license, she agreed to go to rehab. After 28 days, she left the facility, ready to start over, free from the bondage of the powerful opiate.

Unfortunately, she relapsed. Three months after being released from treatment, she was found dead in a hotel room, the victim of violent chest seizures brought on by a Fentanyl overdose.