Illicit fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is illegally manufactured and distributed. It is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, making even tiny amounts potentially lethal. Unlike pharmaceutical fentanyl, which is prescribed for severe pain management, illicit fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs—such as counterfeit prescription pills, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine—without the user’s knowledge.
Because it is cheap to produce, drug dealers use illicit fentanyl to increase the potency of their products, leading to a sharp rise in overdoses and deaths. Many people who die from fentanyl poisoning are unaware they are consuming it. Just 2 milligrams—about the size of a few grains of salt—can be fatal.
Illicit fentanyl is largely responsible for the ongoing opioid crisis, with law enforcement and public health officials working to combat its spread through education, prevention, and intervention efforts.