Fentanyl Addiction Treatment in Jacksonville: Medication, Naloxone and Next Steps

This page is general information, not medical advice. Please don’t stop or change any medication or substance without talking to a doctor first.

What fentanyl is

Fentanyl is a synthetic (lab-made) opioid. The CDC explains that there are two types: pharmaceutical fentanyl, which doctors use for surgery or severe pain, and illegally made fentanyl, which causes most fentanyl overdoses.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, so even small amounts can be fatal. The CDC adds that illegally made fentanyl is often pressed into fake pills that look like oxycodone or Xanax, or mixed into heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. Many people don’t know their drugs contain it.

Why medical help matters, especially after detox

Opioid withdrawal is very hard to push through alone, and the cravings can pull a person back fast. Medical care makes withdrawal more bearable and connects your loved one to ongoing treatment.

There is a second, quieter danger. When a person stops using, their tolerance drops. NIDA notes that overdoses are more common when someone returns to use after a period without it, because of that loss of tolerance. This is why a few days of detox on its own isn’t enough. The days and weeks after detox, or after leaving jail or a hospital, are a high-risk time.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)

NIDA calls medication the standard of care for opioid use disorder. The FDA-approved medications are methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. NIDA says research shows these medications can reduce the risk of return to use and of overdose death, and help people stay in treatment.

SAMHSA describes medication combined with counseling as a “whole-patient” approach. Buprenorphine can be prescribed in a doctor’s office. Methadone is given through opioid treatment programs. Read our medication-assisted treatment guide for how this works in Jacksonville.

Keep naloxone close

Naloxone (Narcan) reverses an opioid overdose, including one from fentanyl, according to the CDC. The FDA approved Narcan nasal spray for over-the-counter sale in March 2023, so you can buy it without a prescription. In Florida, free kits are also available. See free naloxone in Jacksonville.