The drug fentanyl for severe pain has been used by drug addicts in Montenegro for years

Although the police did not register the abuse of fentanyl (fentanyl) in Montenegro, the non-governmental organization Juventas told Radio Free Europe (RSE) that they had recorded at least four cases since June 2023.

Fentanyl is a painkiller that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine. It's highly addictive.

"There were no seizures in Montenegro, nor were there any registered cases of abuse of the substance fentanyl," the police administration told RSE.

And the use of fentanyl was recorded in 2007 in Kakaricka gora, an institution for the treatment of addiction.

"There are only a few clients involved. The consumption of fentanyl was not primary, but followed the consumption of mostly heroin, but also other drugs... Regardless of the small number of clients, the consequences are more than dangerous," warns director Marko Čađenović.

As the police said, they are following the trends on the global illegal drug market with particular attention, bearing in mind "that the abuse of the substance fentanyl after the expansion in the United States of America has not bypassed the European market either."

Fentanyl is the leading cause of all overdose deaths in America.

On October 3, the US imposed sanctions on 25 Chinese companies and individuals allegedly involved in the production of chemicals used to make fentanyl.

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl, which was produced in 1959, belongs to the category of synthetic opiates, and is prescribed to patients with serious diseases in the form of injections, lozenges or skin patches.

The medicine is prescribed by specialists, while the misuse is mostly about fentanyl, which is available on the illegal market.

In all these forms, it also appears on the illegal market, where dealers mix it with other drugs, such as heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine, because a very small amount of fentanyl is needed to create a feeling of intoxication ("high").

It causes effects such as relaxation, euphoria, pain reduction, but also drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and respiratory problems...

The popularity of fentanyl from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is explained by the fact that it is more suitable for smuggling due to its strength.

"In contrast to around 50 tons of heroin, only a few tons of pure fentanyl are needed to satisfy the annual consumption of illegally obtained opiates in the USA," the UNDOC points out.

As a special risk, they point out that drug addicts are often unaware that the drugs they use contain fentanyl as a cheaper but more dangerous additive.

According to UNODC, fentanyl is lethal in a dose of only two milligrams.

Registered in Montenegro 10 years ago

The Institute for Medicines and Medical Devices told RSE that fentanyl has been registered as a medicine in Montenegro since 2013, but that it has not received any reports of adverse effects.

The company "Glosarij" registered German-made fentanyl in the form of patches, but after three years, it stopped importing. Since 2014, Danilovgrad's "Farmont MP" has had a license to import injection solution from another German company.

While "Farmont" referred us to the Institute, "Glosari" told RFE/RL that they were not aware of any abuse of the patch.

"We delivered them to (state) Montefarma, and they further to their pharmacies, where you can only pick up plasters with a double prescription, because it is a narcotic (medicine containing drugs)".

As fentanyl is classified as a drug, the importer is required by the Law on the Prevention of Drug Abuse to submit annual needs to the Institute.

The Institute sends a report on this to the Ministry of Health, which then forwards it to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) in Vienna, Austria.

Only for quantities approved by the Vienna INBC, the Institute can issue import permits.

Abuses in the form of patches

From the Kakaricka gora institution, where diseases of the stomach are treated, they said that the first cases of misuse of this medicine were recorded in 2017/2018. years.

"And most often in the form of plasters that were applied in the oral cavity, which of course resulted in various disturbances and injuries in this part of the body," explained director Marko Čađenović.

He added that they had cases of using fentanyl as a "one-time drug", but that "the consumption of the devastating consequences did not continue".

Čađenović believes that it is necessary to warn the public about the "seriousness of the abuse of this type of drug".

The NGO Juventas also agrees that it is necessary to inform the public about this problem in order to prevent the appearance of a larger amount of fentanyl on the drug market in Montenegro.

"When you consider that fentanyl is an extremely strong substance, it leads to a significantly higher risk of overdose. It is necessary to take measures to reduce harm and prevent deaths," said Marija Radović from this NGO.

And among users Juventas offers home tests, at least four cases of fentanyl have been reported since June.

According to Radović, the tests are highly reliable and detect the presence of fentanyl even in the amount of 0,00001 mg/ml.

Radović said that the Ministry of Health is familiar with the results of the tests.

The strategy for preventing drug abuse in Montenegro expired in 2020, and a new one has not been adopted.

The Ministry did not respond to RFE's inquiry, which is why Montenegro found itself in a situation where it has not had a Strategy for the Prevention of Drug Abuse for years.