In 2020 alone, 64,000 people died of overdoses directly linked to fentanyl. According to CDC data from 2020 to 2021, "Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) rose 55.6 percent and appears to be the primary driver of the increase in total drug overdose deaths."
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is almost 50-100 percent stronger than commonly prescribed opioids (painkillers) such as Oxycodone (Oxycontin), Hydrocodone (Vicodin), and morphine. The fast-acting, potent drug also lasts longer in the bloodstream.
