Arm yourself with knowledge: navigating the fentanyl epidemic.
Two milligrams can be enough to kill an average American.
What is fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid typically used to treat patients with chronic severe pain or severe pain following surgery. Under the supervision of a licensed medical professional, fentanyl has a legitimate medical use.
What is illicit fentanyl?
Illicit fentanyl, primarily manufactured in foreign clandestine labs and smuggled into the United States through Mexico, is being distributed across the country and sold on the illegal drug market.
Why is fentanyl such a big deal?
Illicit fentanyl has become the number one cause of death in the U.S. for those 18 to 45. More than heart disease, cancer, or gun violence. In 2023, DEA seized more than 76 million pills containing fentanyl and more than 13,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. This equates to nearly 400 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl that never reached our communities.
What can I do to help?
You can donate to our fight against fentanyl, sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay up to date on the cause, or visit our resources page for more ways to help in your state.
One backpack of fentanyl (two kilograms) is enough to kill a million people.
Education remains a critical component in the ongoing battle against this deadly synthetic opioid.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. It is inexpensive, widely available, highly addictive, and comes in a variety of colors, shapes and forms – including powder and pills. Drug traffickers are increasingly mixing fentanyl with other illicit drugs to drive addiction and create repeat business. Many victims of fentanyl poisoning were unaware they ingested fentanyl.
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