Reports of accidental fentanyl overdose among police in the field: Toward correcting a harmful culture-bound syndrome

Mitigating the psychological harms that false beliefs about fentanyl exposure bring to first responders requires a deliberate approach—and clearer answers to the unresolved questions at the heart of these events. Doing so will better protect officers’ mental health and reduce the potentially deadly risks this mis- information poses to overdose victims in need of effective emergency response.