USA
A lot has been said about this recently Fentanyl and its ravages, but so far not as much attention has been paid to the cold numbers and in particular to the development of the Overdose deaths what caused in a country like UNITED STATES.
A graph based on overdose deaths in this country, using data from CDC Wonder (Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiological Research), which provides access to a wide range of public health information, shows how widespread fentanyl ( 22,000 deaths) in 2010 lagged behind deaths from cocaine (60,800), benzodiazepines (40,200), antidepressants (34,400) and heroin (28,000).
The deaths due to Fentanyl Progressive growth then began it sped up especially since 2015, when 50,340 were registered. By mid-2017, it was already the second most common cause of death due to an overdose, behind only cocaine and by a very small margin. In the same year he had already overtaken them and later distanced himself from his “rivals”. In 2022, fentanyl had caused 275,900 overdose deaths in the United States. A true epidemic.
This is how he captivated the United States
The numbers are undeniable and experts are trying to figure out the reason for this unusual growth.
It is considered a strong opioid with stronger effects than morphine – in fact its chemical structure is very similar – or that heroin. In its medical use, it is an analgesic commonly prescribed for pain management, having first been developed in 1959. At some point it replaced heroin and conquered the North American country thanks primarily to two characteristics: it is cheap and easy to produce.
This has led to it evolving from a common drug in operating rooms and hospitals (it is very useful in palliative care) to a drug very present on the streetsbut there are still many questions about its production and the associated illegal trade.
After it became popular and attempts were made to enhance its effects and thereby maximize sales, it was eventually added to heroin or cocaine, increasing the possibility of an overdose. Just two milligrams can be fatal.
Easy and cheap to produce
According to Portal, the Fentanyl In 2014, it gained a foothold on the American black market. At the time, China was the dominant source where the substance was mixed with heroin. Following pressure from North American governments, Beijing classified it as a controlled substance in 2019.
So Mexican drug cartels quickly filled the supply gap, part of a broader trend by gangs in the neighboring country to abandon herbal drugs in favor of powerful synthetic narcotics.
And another advantage valued by drug traffickers is that fentanyl can be produced in small spaces and with simple equipment, making its global production potential incalculable.