Death by Fentanyl

By James Ciambor

Originally approved as a painkiller by the Food and Drug Administration, Fentanyl has gone from being used as a pain reliever to becoming one of the most notorious drugs in the American illegal drug market. It’s not manufactured in America; it’s sent from abroad. Despite not being manufactured in the United States, it has had an extremely deadly impact on our country.

Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid. You can’t overstate just how dangerous this substance is, because in 2023, 69% of accidental drug overdoses can be traced back to Fentanyl.

Reportedly, 13 times more Fentanyl than heroin is now seized at the border. Fentanyl is also known to be 50 times more potent than heroin.

As the war on drugs escalates, Mexican drug lords have developed strategies to get Fentanyl over to the states. Among their strategies is sending American citizens to drive across the border with loads of Fentanyl hidden in their cars. The drug lords and the American citizens that the drug lords employ are finding new ways to hide the drugs so border patrol can’t find them.

In the last twenty-five years, Fentanyl fatalities have gone up considerably.  From several hundred deaths in 2000, the death rate has exploded to over 70,000 annually in the 2020s.

This drug is so dangerous and potent that two milligrams of Fentanyl - the same size as a few grains of sand - is enough to take a life. This is not a substance to be messed with casually, and those complicit in its distribution should be held accountable by the law.

The fight against Fentanyl distributors isn’t an easy one. The distributors find ways to disguise the substance so it can get into more people’s hands. One example of disguising Fentanyl as something else is called rainbow Fentanyl. It comes in bright colors, resembles candy, and is the easiest way for drug traffickers to get children, teens, and young adults hooked on the drug.

Another way Fentanyl is getting into the illegal drug stream is the phenomenon known as “fake pills.” Fentanyl is being pressed into counterfeit pills made to look like legitimate prescription medications. These fake pills are often sold online and through social media, targeting individuals who may believe they are purchasing safe medication for anxiety, depression, or pain relief.

Death by fentanyl may be the most destructive illegal drug problem this nation has ever faced.

Follow these links for further information:

Border issues: https://usafacts.org/answers/how-much-fentanyl-is-seized-at-us-borders/country/united-states/

Death Statistics: https://www.statista.com/statistics/895945/fentanyl-overdose-deaths-us/

Fake Pills: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/family-resources-education/700childrens/2022/09/rainbow-fentanyl#:~:text=Opioid%20Overdose,threatening%20and%20requires%20immediate%20attention.