During a recent interview with KCAL News centered on a “leaked” Metro report revealing that “deadly traces” of fentanyl and methamphetamine were found in Metro train stations, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass falsely claimed that "touching fentanyl could kill you.”
The leaked report found that emergency room stairwells at Metro stations were “heavily contaminated with fentanyl and methamphetamine,” presenting “a hazard not only to the personnel tasked with cleaning the spaces but also anybody entering the ancillary spaces.”
The report noted that the drug’s “small particle size” means “fentanyl is easily airborne.”
However, according to all reputable toxicology experts, fentanyl powder cannot penetrate the skin under casual circumstances. And overdosing from inhaling fentanyl particles in the air is nearly impossible, despite news reports published by (mostly conservative) corporate newsrooms suggesting otherwise.
“Mayor @KarenBassLA is wrong,” Dr. Ryan Marino tweeted last week in response to a clip of Bass' KCAL News segment. “Touching fentanyl cannot kill you. All toxicology experts agree.”