What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

It is a prescription drug; however, it is also made and used illegally. Like morphine, it is a medicine that is typically used to treat patients with severe pain, such as after surgery. It is also sometimes used to treat patients with chronic pain who are physically tolerant to...