According to the CDC, in 2021 there were 107,375 deaths from overdose in the United States, 67% of these deaths involved opioids like fentanyl. Fentanyl is classified as a schedule II prescription opioid that is used to treat severe pain, however, this substance can also be synthesized and distributed illegally. The difference between fentanyl and other opioids is that unlike drugs like morphine and heroin which are extracted from the opium poppy plant, fentanyl is synthetic and is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. The DEA says that—depending on body weight and tolerance—the lethal dose of fentanyl is only two milligrams, which for comparison is about 10-15 grains of table salt. Fentanyl serves a major role in the opioid epidemic which has become an extreme threat to global health.
Due to its potency and the fact that it can be made in labs, fentanyl has grown increasingly popular over time. Those who produce fentanyl can bypass the time that it takes to grow plants from which other opioids are extracted by making their substances in labs. This coupled with the fact that very little fentanyl is needed to produce a high means that producers and distributors can increase their profit by opting to sell fentanyl. According to the Fentanyl Working Group, a U.S. Law Enforcement task force, the cost to produce one kilogram of fentanyl is about $32,000 while that same kilogram has a street value of about $20 million. This whopping economic incentive explains why some people would be willing to sell such a deadly product to buyers.
Some addicts may intentionally purchase fentanyl to pay less money and achieve a more intense high, however, many people think they are purchasing street drugs like heroin, Xanax, or cocaine when they are purchasing fentanyl. The visual appearances of street drugs that are laced with fentanyl versus those that are not are often identical. According to the DEA, almost half of the counterfeit pills they tested contained fentanyl. This terrifying data could largely explain the high number of deaths from overdose since people do not actually know what substances they are consuming and therefore are unaware of how potent they are.
Fentanyl is not only used to lace ‘hard’ drugs anymore, nor can it be confined to one particular region. Recently, there have been instances where people have purchased weed that was laced with fentanyl. Parents across the U.S. are fearful to allow their children to go trick or treating after DEA agents seized nearly 12,000 fentanyl pills that were concealed in candy boxes. The LA County Sheriff’s department warned parents to inspect their kid’s Halloween candy before allowing them to ingest it. The Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the DEA’s Washington division says,
“The nature of this crisis has really shifted over recent years. All people in all communities are 100% at risk of coming in contact with this deadly drug.”
Individuals and communities are taking action to fight fentanyl’s threat to society and spread awareness. The FDA approved a drug called naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, that can be used to temporarily reverse opioid overdoses and save lives. Universities like UC Boulder are making this life-saving drug more obtainable and encouraging people to take advantage of it by providing it to their students and staff for free. Along with this, in 2021 the DEA launched the “One Pill can Kill” public awareness campaign which is educating young Americans on the dangers of counterfeit pills. The DEA has also created The Faces of Fentanyl which is an exhibit designed to honor those who have lost their lives to fentanyl and spread awareness to the rest of society. People can regain hope by coming together and taking action to spread awareness about fentanyl.