Fentanyl related seizures are on the rise in Arizona, and the rest of the country at large. Since their introduction into the drug world, they have been a driving force behind the increasingly dangerous opioid crisis that the nation now faces. In 2017, around 121,000 fake fentanyl pills were seized by the DEA.

Fentanyl Potentially 100 Times More Powerful Than Morphine

Many of these counterfeit pills are identical in appearance to standard Fentanyl. Unfortunately, they often come with deadly results. Fentanyls synthetic properties make it much more powerful than heroin and other opioids. Users often underestimate this, leading to the consumption of lethal doses.

A significant amount of fentanyl production takes place in Mexico, where the product is then smuggled across the border. Ingredients are oftentimes purchased from China for cheap prices. The cartel has remained firmly entrenched in the trade due to extremely high profit margins.

DEA Searching For New Plan To Combat The Opioid Crisis

he DEA has stated that the agency will be refining their approach to potentially ending the opioid crisis. Part of this will include locating the manufacturers themselves. Arizona’s opioid crisis, essentially is a microcosm of what is going on across the entire country.

Fentanyl was originally made in 1960, and has since 1968 been used primarily as an anesthesia in hospitals where it is often administered intravenously or through the use of patches. Among other reasons, it has received significant mainstream media attention after the recent overdose of American rapper Lil Peep. Prince’s death in 2016, and Tom Petty’s death in 2017, were also shown to be fentanyl-related. 

More information about the opioid crisis in Arizona can be found here.