Medical professionals have the training and equipment to administer pharmaceutical fentanyl in proper doses and monitor their patients. In this context, the risk of accidental death is exceptionally low.

It is safe and very low risk to receive fentanyl in a medical setting (prescribed and/or administered by a doctor).

Fentanyl is pressed to look like a variety of common pharmaceutical pills like oxycodone (these blue, round M-30 pills are the most counterfeited pill on the market). Percocet, and Xanax. In the current drug market, the amount of fentanyl in such pills is usually a potentially lethal dose. Individuals intending to take these supposedly safe medications are at risk of fentanyl poisoning when they unknowingly take a counterfeit pill.

The public's lack of awareness of fentanyl in fake pills, plus the pills' uneven dosing, means that taking pills obtained outside of prescribed channels puts users at a very high risk of fentanyl poisoning.

Samples of cocaine have tested positive for fentanyl and there are confirmed cases of users dying from consuming cocaine that contained fentanyl. The specifics on how this happens are unclear and variable (possibly due to contamination, less likely by a dealer's intentional mixing).

Though laboratory-confirmed cases of fentanyl being found in cocaine are rare, it does present a clear risk when it occurs, as stimulant users may not have an opioid tolerance and are therefore at an elevated risk for overdose.

Though less widespread than fake prescription pills, MDMA tablets have tested positive for fentanyl and there are confirmed cases of users dying of fentanyl poisoning after consuming what they thought was MDMA.

This scenario puts users at very high risk of fentanyl poisoning since it is consumed both unknowingly and by people whose bodies are not used to opioids.

Like cocaine, methamphetamine can be contaminated with fentanyl during packaging, which puts users at risk of accidental consumption resulting in fentanyl poisoning. Samples of methamphetamine have tested positive for fentanyl and people have died from consuming methamphetamine containing fentanyl.

Though laboratory-confirmed cases of fentanyl being found in meth are rare, it does present a clear risk when it occurs, as stimulant users may not have an opioid tolerance and are therefore at an elevated risk for overdose.

Fentanyl is added to heroin to reduce cost and increase potency. Heroin users know that most heroin in the U.S. today contains some amount of fentanyl and may take steps to reduce their risk of overdose. However, the amount of fentanyl in any specific batch is impossible to determine, which keeps the risk high.

Though heroin users may have an existing opioid tolerance, the risk of overdose remains high due to the significant presence of fentanyl in the heroin supply.

Some opioid users prefer fentanyl over other opioids and seek pills to consume or powdered fentanyl to smoke or inject. While users can build an opioid tolerance and mitigate risk, fentanyl's potency puts even the most seasoned user at risk of accidental overdose.

Since fentanyl is difficult to dose properly, even experienced users are at risk of accidentally overdosing eventually.

There are currently no confirmed cases of authorities confiscating these types of products, nor of users overdosing on fentanyl gummies. Media stories have frequently reported this due to field tests showing a positive result for fentanyl, though these field tests have high rates of false positives.

This scenario is currently unconfirmed, and past media reports seem to be based on field results that were later determined to be false positives. While confirmatory testing has not yet shown an instance of true contamination, it is not impossible that drugs could be adulterated in this way. Stay alert to the potential for contamination and avoid unregulated products. Should this be detected in the future, public health alerts are warranted.

Despite unconfirmed reports of users overdosing after smoking fentanyl-laced weed, expert analysis concludes this is currently an unlikely scenario. Fentanyl is destroyed when ignited and there is little incentive for dealers to intentionally lace weed with fentanyl. While authorities claim to have seized marijuana that tests positive for fentanyl, this is likely caused by contamination.

The risk of suffering a fentanyl overdose by smoking fentanyl-laced marijuana is very low. Drug users often consume multiple substances, so THC and fentanyl may both appear in toxicology tests, but the two were likely consumed separately.

There are no current reports or data trends that indicate drug traffickers are mass producing vape cartridges containing fentanyl. However, local production by street dealers is possible, since the components (empty cartridges and base liquids) are widely available. Reports of fentanyl in vapes or of users overdosing from them are unconfirmed.

Though there are no confirmed cases, fentanyl in vape cartridges could put users at risk because THC or nicotine users might unintentionally consume fentanyl in contaminated or mislabeled vapes.

A person would have to be exposed to a significant amount of airborne fentanyl powder for an extended period of time to feel any physical effect, much less experience overdose symptoms.

When airborne, fentanyl powder typically does not accumulate at a high enough level to cause an overdose. Reports of first responders overdosing by accidentally inhaling fentanyl powder have been widely discredited. The risk of overdose from inhaling fentanyl dust is very low.

Fentanyl powder cannot be absorbed through the skin. People who encounter fentanyl at crime scenes or testing labs take precautions to prevent the powder from touching their eyes, noses and mouths (which would allow the fentanyl to enter the bloodstream via the mucous membranes).

Unless fentanyl powder enters the bloodstream via an open wound or the mucous membranes, the overdose risk in this scenario is very low.

Fentanyl powder cannot be absorbed through the skin. This scenario is extremely unlikely, since the fentanyl is compacted into solid tablets composed mostly of inactive fillers. The likelihood of getting enough fentanyl from the solid tablet into the bloodstream by touching (or otherwise handling) pills is negligible.

Unless fentanyl powder enters the bloodstream via an open wound or the mucous membranes, there is no risk of overdose in this scenario.

Theoretically, a person performing CPR might be exposed to residual fentanyl on a victim's face, but it is extremely unlikely that an amount sufficient to cause overdose symptoms would be present. There is very low risk of exposure to fentanyl via the transfer of saliva or other bodily fluids from the victim.

The risk of exposure or overdose in this scenario is very low. People should be comfortable rendering aid, including rescue breathing, if they suspect someone is overdosing on opioids.