Law enforcement seizures of illicit fentanyl increased dramatically in number and size between 2017-2023 in the U.S., especially in pill form, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
The study titled "National and Regional Trends in Fentanyl Seizures in the U.S. from 2017-2023" was published on May 13, 2024 in the International Journal of Drug Policy:
Over 107,000 people died of a drug overdose in 2022, with 75% of deaths involving an opioid. The rise in overdose deaths is attributed to illicit fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is highly potent, cheaply made, and easily transported. Fentanyl is 50x more potent than heroin - a lethal dose may be as small as 2 milligrams.
Study findings showed that the number of individual pills containing fentanyl seized by law enforcement was 2,300 times greater in 2023 compared to 2017 with 115,562,603 pills seized in 2023 vs. 49,657 in 2017. The proportion of fentanyl pill seizures to the number of fentanyl seizures more than quadrupled, with pills representing 49% of illicit fentanyl seizures in 2023 compared to 10% in 2017.
"Fentanyl has continued to infiltrate the drug supply in communities across the U.S. and it is a very dangerous time to use drugs, even occasionally," said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. "Illicit counterfeit pills are made to look identical to real prescription pills but can actually contain fentanyl. It is urgently important that people know that any pills given to someone by a friend, purchased on social media, or received from any source other than a pharmacy could be potentially deadly - even after one single ingestion."
InnerAct Alliance is committed to keeping our community informed by sharing news of national and regional trends related to substance use. It is important to know that fentanyl can be hidden in fake pills and other drugs. Our agency is actively partnering in the DEA's One Pill Can Kill public safety campaign to communicate that the only safe medications are those prescribed by medical professionals and dispensed by licensed pharmacists. Even if you believe your child would never touch a drug of any kind, talk with them about the dangers of experimentation - it can save their lives!
For Helpful Resources & Information
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/05/over-115-million-pills-containing-illicit-fentanyl-seized-by-law-enforcement-in-2023
Support for Mental Health, Drug, and Alcohol Issues
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support
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