Health officials are warning about a drug 100 times more potent than fentanyl that has caused deaths in 37 states in recent years.
This could threaten to reverse a recent drop in drug overdoses seen in the country.
The CDC report included data from January 2023 to June 2024, with the number of overdose deaths that were attributed specifically to carfentanil.
According to the DEA, the drug is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
Of the 251,089 drug overdoses over the two year period, 74 percent were linked to fentanyl or a fentanyl derived drug.
A drug that is 100 times more powerful than fentanyl and has killed people in 37 states in recent years has prompted health officials to issue a warning.
The most powerful commercial opioid available is carfentanil, a fentanyl derivative that was created to calm elephants.
The CDC report released today shows that between January 2021 and June 2024, there were 513 carfentanil overdoses, with Florida and West Virginia being the states most affected.
Even though the total is low, officials are worried because it has increased sevenfold in the last year.
This may jeopardize the nation’s recent decline in drug overdoses.
Carfentanil is available as a powder, paper, tablet, patch, and spray. It can be swallowed, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled.
It is frequently combined with other illegal substances, such as xylazine or fake pills, and when powdered, it resembles cocaine or heroin.
One 50th of a teaspoon, or two milligrams, of the drug can be fatal because it can cause dangerously slow breathing, which can cause brain damage or even death.
The number of overdose deaths specifically linked to carfentanil was reported in the CDC report, which included data from January 2023 to June 2024. Four states were excluded from the analysis.
This image displays the lethal dosages of several opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil, for an average adult. Carfentanil has ten thousand times the potency of morphine and 100 times that of fentanyl.
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Although rare, recent sharp increases in overdose deaths with carfentanil detected underscore the constantly shifting illegal drug supply and jeopardize the progress made in lowering overdose deaths, according to CDC officials. “…
The DEA claims that the drug is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine.
Although the source of the drugs is unknown, the report claims that they were most likely produced illegally rather than taken from legitimate caches.
In a Southern California drug bust in 2021, police discovered 21 kilograms of the drug in the residences of two Americans, Andres Jesus Morales and Christine Ponce.
Prior to being made available to the general public, carfentanil was created in 1974 to treat large mammals like bears and elephants.
In essence, it decreases or stops pain by acting on the same brain systems as codeine, heroin, and oxycodone. It’s very addictive.
The CDC report states that because powdered fentanyls were hard to mix into black tar heroin, which was once more popular, they entered the US later than they did in other nations.
However, it became simpler to smuggle these extremely powerful opioids into the supply as prescription and fake medications gained popularity in recent decades.
The CDC compared the number of overdose deaths caused by illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMF), such as carfentanil, with the total number of overdose deaths per year. They claimed that while the total number of overdoses had declined, the number of overdoses specifically related to carfentanil was increasing.
In 2021, police in Riverside County, California, confiscated 21 kilograms of carfentanil from a couple’s residence. It was the biggest drug seizure in the region at the time.
According to the DEA, dealers also frequently mix the products into their supply to make their goods more potent at a lower cost, which keeps users wanting more.
Seven out of ten drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2023 involved fentanyl or one of its derivatives, such as carfentanil, according to a CDC report.
The report summarized drug overdose deaths using a national overdose reporting system that collects information from toxicology reports, coroner’s reports, and death certificates. All overdose data from 2021–2023 were included in the new report, but it only looked at carfentanil through the first half of 2024.
Fentanyl or a substance derived from it was implicated in 74% of the 251,089 drug overdoses that occurred during the two-year period. 63,734 Americans lost their lives to fentanyl or one of its derivatives in 2023.
According to the report, both the total number of illegal fentanyl-derived drugs on the streets and the overall number of overdose deaths have been declining quarter by quarter in 2023.
Carfentanil overdoses, however, have been increasing concurrently.
The only two states where the drug was linked to more than 20 deaths were Florida and West Virginia.
In the 18 months that followed, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, and Ohio reported 10–19 drug-related deaths.
Additionally, overdoses were broken down by geographic region in the CDC report. The deaths connected to fentanyl or its derivatives are indicated by IMFs, which are represented by bars that are shaded in life blue.
Two days prior to Christmas 2019, Alexandra Capelouto passed away after ingesting fentanyl. When Alexandra took what she believed to be oxycodone to help her fall asleep, she was 19.
Additionally, according to the CDC report, “overdose deaths could substantially increase if carfentanil continues to spread.”. “.”.
It is especially concerning because this uptick differs significantly from an outbreak that appeared to be contained in a few states in 2016.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) advises anyone exposed to the drug to get medical help right away.
According to the DEA, someone who is exposed to the drug may experience drowsiness, disorientation, pinpoint pupils, slowed breathing, and clammy skin as early symptoms. They then advise the individual to dial 911.
If treatment is not received, the patient may stop breathing, which can cause severe brain damage or even death.
If professionals or bystanders act quickly, they can reverse the overdose and prevent the worst outcomes by using naloxone, an FDA-approved medicated inhaler.
As the DEA’s Acting Administrator in 2016, Chuck Rosenberg stated of these drugs: “We see it on the streets, often disguised as heroin.”. It’s extremely risky.
Fentanyl and carfentanil are examples of synthetics that can be fatal. I’m hoping the public and our first responders will read and take note of our health and safety alert. “…
