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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning about a drug that is 100 times stronger than fentanyl and is being linked to numerous overdose deaths within the United States.

What’s the deal: In an announcement, the CDC warned about carfentanil, a potent synthetic opioid initially designed as a tranquilizer for large animals such as elephants. The drug is 10,000 times more potent than morphine, making it extremely dangerous even in small quantities. Just 2 milligrams can be fatal to humans, with exposure potentially causing respiratory failure, sedation, and death within minutes. Officials noted that carfentanil is often “cut” with other substances and sold to users who are unaware they are consuming it.

Overdose

According to the CDC, fatalities involving carfentanil have skyrocketed. From January to June 2023, there were 29 reported deaths involving carfentanil, but by the same period in 2024, this number had surged to 238—a 720% increase. While carfentanil-related deaths were initially rare between 2021 and mid-2023, the sharp rise is evidence that drug dealers are introducing it into their drug supplies.

This all comes amid a broader overdose crisis in the United States, where drug-related deaths have remained alarmingly high over the past three years. Between 2021 and 2024, the CDC estimates that over 200,000 overdose fatalities occurred, with approximately 70% – 80% of these deaths linked to illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs). While overall overdose deaths began to decline slightly in 2023, fentanyl continues to drive the majority of fatalities.

In the Western United States, the percentage of overdose deaths involving IMFs rose significantly, from 48.5% in 2021 to 66.5% by mid-2024, reflecting the increasing prevalence of these synthetic opioids across the country.

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