Statistics

Nationally, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were involved in 64 percent of the more than 100,000 drug overdose deaths between May 2020 and April 2021, a record-breaking number, according to the CDC. Between July 2019 and December 2020, fentanyl-involved overdose deaths increased by 65 percent .

LACED & LETHAL: The Risk is Real—Fentanyl 101

  Facts and Statistics 

Drug overdoses now are the leading cause of death for Americans under age 50. And North America is the deadliest continent when it comes to substance use, accounting for 1-in-4 drug-related deaths globally.
But the tragedy of overdose death is preventable.

Overdose deaths in Pennsylvania ticked upward in 2020 after two years of relatively stable numbers.

Fentanyl has caused a dramatic increase in drug deaths in communities all across America. With the introduction of fentanyl, communities are seeing a new category of victims: kids and young adults.

Holding drug suppliers accountable for harm is an important deterrent to co-conspirators.

 Accidental Drug overdoses kill more Americans annually than traffic accidents (Office of National Drug Control Policy).

We’re finding that fentanyl, specifically the copy-cat fentanyl, is being laced in other drugs that people don’t think they are going to be laced in, Its really about how people are being blindsided.

It only takes a small amount of fentanyl to cause an overdose.

So what is fentanyl?

WHAT IS FENTANYL?

Fentanyl is nearly always described with the following three words: Powerful. Synthetic. Opioid. Let’s look at these terms in reverse order.

Opioid: Fentanyl belongs to the class of drugs called opioids, which are used to reduce pain. This category also includes morphine, oxycodone and heroin. Of these, fentanyl is one of the most potent, and is approved for medical use as a surgical anesthetic or for people with chronic pain (typically terminal cancer patients). Opioids reduce physical and emotional/psychological pain and can have a euphoric effect in high doses, which is why people sometimes misuse opioids.

Synthetic: Unlike morphine and heroin, fentanyl is not derived from the opium poppy. Rather, it is a synthetic product, meaning it is “formed through a chemical process by human agency”; i.e. it is not derived from plants. This means that it can be produced quickly – it is not dependent on agricultural and harvest conditions. Since the supply is only limited by the availability of the precursor chemicals and the availability of people to make it, fentanyl is exceptionally cheap and easy to make compared to plant-based opioids.

Powerful: Fentanyl is good at its job. It is a highly effective and efficient pain reliever. It is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. All the properties are amplified, so it takes a lot less fentanyl to get the same effect as morphine or heroin. That has many of implications, for instance:

• Just a tiny amount can be lethal, especially if you don’t have a tolerance to opioids

• Fentanyl takes effect faster and wears off sooner, making it highly addictive and harder to kick.

Standardized dosing in a pressed tablet requires precise measures of minute quantities, something that is not guaranteed by illegal suppliers. The difference between high and die is often a few milligrams, or roughly a few grains of salt.

WHAT IS A LETHAL DOSE OF FENTANYL?

In toxicology, the lethal dose for a substance is referred to as the LD50, or median lethal dose, which is the amount that is needed to kill 50% of a sample group. Toxicologists point out that it is impossible to determine a precise LD50 for opioids because tolerance builds in lab subjects as the dose is increased. In other words, the lethal dose for any opioid is a moving target, technically speaking.

The DEA says that 2 milligrams of dry powder fentanyl is a “potentially lethal dose.” This general statement makes the point that a small amount can be deadly. In fact, the actual amount of fentanyl that will cause death varies depending on the person’s weight, whether they have used opioids before, their metabolism, their general health, and more. The amount of fentanyl that will kill a 110-lb person who has never ingested opioids will be different than the amount that will kill a 220-pound opioid dependent user. Therefore, a “lethal dose” may not cause death to everyone who consumes it. Conversely, a person could die from an amount of fentanyl that is less than the “lethal dose” of 2mg.

What to do if you think someone is overdosing

It may be hard to tell whether a person is high or experiencing an overdose. If you aren’t sure, treat it like an overdose—you could save a life.

• Call 911 Immediately.*

• Administer naloxone, if available.**

• Try to keep the person awake and breathing.

• Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.

• Stay with the person until emergency assistance arrives.

*Most states have laws that may protect a person who is overdosing or the person who called for help from legal trouble.

** Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose and save lives. It is available in all 50 states and can be purchased from a local pharmacy without a prescription in most states

IN WHICH STREET DRUGS IS FENTANYL BEING FOUND?

Fentanyl is being integrated into almost all forms of street drugs. In some cases dealers purposely add fentanyl to their drugs to reduce costs, enhance the effect of an existing drug, hook their customers, or all three. Remember, it’s a business and it’s all about making as much money as possible. In some cases, the presence of fentanyl is the result of contamination from traffickers handling multiple drugs in unclean environments or mixing several different powders with the same equipment.

Widespread Fentanyl Contamination:

Drugs to Watch:

Marijuana

Vape Pens

Fentanyl has been widely detected in all of the street drugs listed below:

Fake Pills, including but not limited to:

• Percocet

• Oxycontin

• Norco

• Xanax

• Vicodin

• Valium

Why are people dying from fentanyl and what can we do about it?

People who come in contact with fentanyl often don’t know they’re taking it. In general, fentanyl used to cut heroin is not being diverted from medical facilities but comes from clandestine labs often in other countries, synthesizing large quantities of cheap, pure fentanyl. Fentanyl has become an attractive cutting agent, since its increased sedative potency can be perceived as strengthening a batch of heroin. Therefore risk of fentanyl overdose is particularly greater.

We know there are many different approaches to solving the fentanyl problem- legislation, border control, social media reform, etc are all important, but they will take time. In the meantime, we feel it is important to PUT OUT THE WARNING TO OUR YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS.

Committed to giving out fentanyl test strips, which can detect fentanyl in a drug before it is used. Remembering those who have died or suffered a permanent injury to drug overdose, but also to support their grieving families and friends.

Work that Makes a Difference

Whether advocating on Capitol Hill, training people on the basic principles of harm reduction, or convening thousands of people from all over the world — we’re focused on bringing harm reduction strategies to scale.

This is how we make a difference.

 Overdose Prevention

 Syringe Access Implementation

 Training & Capacity Building

 Organizational Development

OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT

The Bariworld Foundation aims to build capacity for evidence-based harm reduction strategies and cultivate leadership among communities. We know that our collective impact is strongest when people who are directly affected by the War on Drugs are at the center.

We meet communities where they’re at to build supportive environments for harm reduction programs.

TOGETHER WE CAN END THE OVERDOSE CRISIS

Decades of experience and evidence prove that getting naloxone into the hands. The most effective way to prevent overdose.

HEALING TAKES ALL HANDS

We are focused on building power with people to create solutions that reduce the number of overdoses in our communities. To bring these strategies to scale, we support and work with:

Local community leaders

Indigenous communities and communities of color

Harm reduction organizations

Policymakers and advocates

Shelter and supportive housing agencies

Substance use treatment programs

Faith-based groups

Movement building organizations

Overdose is Preventable

How We Affect Change

Harm reduction resources for advocates

Support for alliance & coalition building

Policy analysis

Direct advocacy with policymakers

Signs of overdose

Recognizing the signs of opioid overdose can save a life. Here are some things to look for:

• Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”

• Falling asleep or losing consciousness

• Slow, weak, or no breathing

• Choking or gurgling sounds

• Limp body

• Cold and/or clammy skin

• Discolored skin (especially in lips and nails)

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl

Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) is available on the drug market in different forms, including liquid and powder1.

Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. Fentanyl-laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people may be unaware that their drugs are laced with fentanyl.

In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies.