Smoking Fentanyl, Cannabis, Methamphetamine, or Tobacco
Not safe for homes and families because of second- and third-hand exposure risks.
By Mark S Gold
Published by Psychology Today on February 18, 2026
Key points
• Inhaled drug particles and aerosols are not confined to primary users.
• Second-hand opioid smoke contaminates indoor air.
• Non-using children, pregnant women and adults can test positive for drugs after second, third-hand exposures.
Some experts have mischaracterized smoking fentanyl as “safer” than injecting, seeking to reduce risks among users. Narrowly considered, the statement is accurate, as inhalation avoids needle-sharing, reducing risks for HIV, hepatitis C, bacteremia, abscess formation, and infective endocarditis among users. However, there’s no clinical-trial–level evidence (randomized trials with real patients) showing smoking illicit fentanyl is safer than injecting it. It isn’t, and that conclusion is unsupported by toxicology, environmental exposure science, or emerging data. Smoking fentanyl also may facilitate speedballing, as with methamphetamine plus fentanyl.
