The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a new warning about the growing threat of carfentanil, a synthetic opioid much more potent than fentanyl, which is now driving a rise in overdose deaths nationwide.
According to a report from the CDC published earlier this month, overdose deaths involving carfentanil have increased by over 700% in the past year alone. Between January and June of 2023, there were 29 reported carfentanil-related fatalities, a number that skyrocketed to 238 in the same period within 2024.
The final overdose numbers linked to the new drug may be even higher, as some deaths are still under investigation, and some were not clearly attributed to the synthetic opioid at the time.
Carfentanil is estimated to be 100 times stronger than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine, making tiny amounts of the drug extremely lethal, according to the CDC. The synthetic opioid, which first appeared in the U.S. around 2016, is often manufactured illegally in make-shift labs, adding to its growing availability and deadly impact across the country.
Carfentanil’s extreme potency is what makes it so deadly. A dose as small as 2 milligrams, equivalent to a few salt granules, can be fatal.
The danger is compounded by the fact that carfentanil is frequently mixed with other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, or benzodiazepines, often without the user’s knowledge, reported Fox News. These mixtures lead to a rise in accidental overdoses, as users may not realize that they are ingesting a substance far more dangerous than what they initially expected.
The rapid increase in carfentanil-related fatalities highlights a broader national crisis. Nearly 70% of all U.S. overdose deaths are now attributed to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which includes carfentanil.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, as of February of this year, at least 5 Texans were dying each day to Fentanyl overdoses, with the DEA tracing the increasing flow of fentanyl to suppliers in Mexico, China, and India.
In response to the growing crisis, President-elect Donald Trump recently announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, urging both countries to take greater responsibility in addressing the fentanyl epidemic and curbing the drug’s flow into America.
“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump posted to social media.
Coincident or not, a week after the tariff declaration from Trump, Mexican security forces reported one of the largest drug seizures ever in the Sinaloa region, confiscating over one ton (over 2,000 pounds) of fentanyl in what is being described as the largest bust in the nation’s history.