DR. WALLACE: I've heard quite a bit from my parents and other adults about the dangers of fentanyl. Some of my classmates are similarly worried, but others think it's no big deal.

In your opinion, what's the truth about fentanyl? Is it really as dangerous as some people make it out to be? Could it be one of the most dangerous substances circulating these days? — Worried About Fentanyl, via email

WORRIED ABOUT FENTANYL: Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and can be as much as 100 times stronger than morphine. Today it is the main contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.

There are two types of fentanyl: pharmaceutical fentanyl and illicitly manufactured fentanyl. This second category is extremely dangerous, and its manufacture is unregulated and unsupervised by medical and pharmacy professionals. "Street" fentanyl is another story altogether, and the dangers are both real and potentially extremely severe.

Use of fentanyl can create to various degrees effects that include extreme happiness, drowsiness, nausea, confusion, constipation, sedation, tolerance, addiction, respiratory depression and arrest, unconsciousness, coma and even death, as we sadly know all too well these days. So yes, fentanyl is the most dangerous drug widely available in today's underground markets. Stay away from potential exposure to this substance at all costs.

MY FEELINGS ABOUT HER HAVE CHANGED

DR. WALLACE: I'm not sure if you've heard of my situation before, but because of your experience, I'll bet you probably have. That's why I want to ask you for your advice.

I'm a guy who is 17 years old and my best friend in the world is a 17-year-old girl. Our families are close friends, and I've known her ever since we attended second grade together.

We've always been platonic friends, and we've tended to switch between being goofy and sarcastic friends over the years. Our families have been going on vacations together for years!

Well, this past summer we hung out together along with a lot of other friends, and I was able to see her even more than usual. One weekend we went out to camp at a local lake and campground, and when she went swimming in the lake, I must admit that I looked at her in a much different way for the first time.

I've known her so well as only a platonic friend, but now that we're both older and starting to mature, I have this desire to ask her out on a date. However, I don't know how, or if I should even consider doing this.

What do you think? Should I just forget about it and keep her as a great friend — or should I "risk it all" and ask her out on a real date sometime? I'm so nervous typing this email to you that my hands are actually shaking. — My Feelings Have Changed, via email

MY FEELINGS HAVE CHANGED: I can appreciate where you are coming from regarding this situation, but I'll encourage you to not feel as though you'd have to "risk it all" by asking her out. By this I mean there is a way to test out your idea with a limited downside!

Having said that, I would encourage you to ask her out, but do so in a way that's as casual as possible and leave plenty of "outs" for each of you so that your underlying friendship is never in question.

How best to do this? I suggest that at a good moment when you are alone with her, that you tell her that you have something to run by her. Then tell her just how much you value your friendship with her and that you'd never want to jeopardize that under any circumstances. Remind her of how young you both were back in the second grade! But take the time to tell her that you're developing possibly deeper feelings for her and that if she's up for it, you'd like to invite her out on a conventional date sometime.

From there, tell her this is absolutely sincere and quite true, but if she thinks it's a bad idea, she can shut you down right away and maybe even verbally needle you a little in the usual sarcastically humorous way the two of you often communicate. Let her know you can take it! Reaffirm how much her friendship means.

If she grants you a bit of an opening, explain that you would only want to start out dating occasionally in a very slow, platonic way. Explain that you enjoy her company so much that you'd be very happy to ask her out and spend time with her this way in addition to the solid friendship you already have.

If you think it through, and practice what you'd say in all possible outcomes, you'll likely be able to float your "trial balloon" with her in a manner that would not harm your friendship even if she ends up shooting your dating idea down.

You might mention along the way that statistics show that good friends who end up dating often have less strife and conflict in romantic relationships than others do. I've read many studies over the years that confirm this, so feel free to use this logic.

Your goal here is to either have her agree to at least one initial date to test the waters or to at the very least have a good laugh over your idea and to continue your great friendship. You can try this out with limited downside if you put some time, effort and planning into how you'd like to explain your offer. Good luck!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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