National provisional estimates include deaths occurring within the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The total death count for the United States does not include deaths occurring in Puerto Rico. NCHS receives the death records from state vital registration offices through the Vital Statistics Cooperative Program. Naloxone functions as an opioid antagonist by binding to opioid receptors in the brain, thereby reversing and blocking the effects of opioids like fentanyl. By blocking these receptors, naloxone prevents fentanyl from exerting its effects, effectively restoring normal breathing and consciousness. Naloxone has demonstrated notable efficacy in reversing fentanyl overdoses, with statistics indicating a survival rate of 93.5%.
The rate of drug overdose deaths decreased among young and middle-aged adults from 2022 to 2023.
- The potency of fentanyl and the potential for incorrect dosing can result in overdose and death.
- Previously, rates had generally increased across most years over the period 2003–2023.
- National predicted counts for deaths involving opioids had a difference of 0.1%, while state predicted counts had an average difference of 0.3% (ranging from 0.3 to 2.9%).
- Drug dealers are increasingly mixing fentanyl into all kinds of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines.
Respiratory depression occurs when a person feels the chest is overly heavy, shallow, and labored breathing or the feeling of struggling to breathe at all. Often, the body cannot take in enough oxygen and suffers a sense of panic or confusion. Any drug in any form (powder, pill) you get from a dealer, friend or an online source could have fentanyl in it. You can’t smell or taste fentanyl and fake pills made from fentanyl can look like real pills from a pharmacy. “Respiratory depression is the primary effect that induces death from this highly potent synthetic opioid,” he said. This https://www.dgsac.com.pe/how-to-stop-drinking-naturally-best-home-remedies-2/ is different than treatments like naloxone, which reverse the effects after an overdose.
Frequently used records

But this physical toll of the overdose and these emotions can also lead to anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In some cases, survivors may fall into opioid dependence and develop long-standing cravings and withdrawal symptoms or have a fear of taking opioids again. The reporting lag was shorted from 6 months to 4 months after years of monitoring the improving timeliness of death reporting and a recent comparison of predicted estimates calculated using the 4-month and 6-month lags. Estimates produced with the 6-month and 4-month lags had a difference of less than 0.2% for national predicted drug overdose death counts. State predicted drug overdose death counts differed by an average of 0.1% (ranging from 0.0 to 0.5%).
Study: Global Fentanyl Supply Disruption Led to Drop in Opioid Overdose Deaths
A vaccine to protect against fentanyl’s deadly effects is headed for clinical trials in humans. What makes the current situation unusual is that the decline has already lasted longer than experts expected, even though producers still have access to other chemicals and production methods. While the paths to recovery can differ, understanding patterns of treatment, support services, and the duration of substance use offers valuable insights for helping others on their recovery journey. Understanding the disproportionate impact of fentanyl is crucial for developing targeted, effective interventions and prevention strategies. This article utilizes the most up-to-date statistics available to provide an accurate picture of the fentanyl crisis in 2024. For some statistics, the most up-to-date information will be cut off in 2021.
Fentanyl Overdose
For some, alertness will slowly wane, becoming slurred in their speech and impaired in their motor functions. Users may also experience dizziness and even lightheadedness, which can follow swiftly into heroin addiction a more dire state as the overdose goes to work. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The information on this site is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice. This site was developed by the UW Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute (ADAI). If you live in King County you may be able to order free fentanyl test strips through an online order form.
Fentanyl was involved in 69% of drug overdose deaths in 2023.

This means your tolerance goes up and it takes more of it to get the same effect. You also have trouble feeling pleasure from anything besides the drug. Sometimes people freeze fentanyl patches and cut them into smaller how long does fentanyl stay in your system portions.
Over 115 million pills containing illicit fentanyl seized by law enforcement in 2023
That heightened potency also means that just tiny amounts can be deadly. In fact, according to the DEA, it only takes just two milligrams of fentanyl—an amount small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil—to kill most people 1. The notorious synthetic opioid, fentanyl, is commonly misused and abused. Two milligrams is a lethal dose that is too small to be seen with the naked eye 1.