Fentanyl crisis

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Public health catastrophe

• Status

  Ongoing crisis

• Location

  United States

• Primary Cause

  Illicitly manufactured fentanyl, Synthetic opioids

• Contributing Factors

  Increased opioid prescriptions, Expansion of heroin market, Influx of synthetic opioids, Fentanyl mixed into other drugs (heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines) and fake prescription pills

• Start of Fentanyl Wave

  2013

• Drug Overdose Deaths (2017)

  70,237

• Opioid-Involved Deaths (2017)

  47,600

• Opioid-Involved Deaths (1999-2020)

  500,000

• Total Drug Overdose Deaths (1999-2020)

  Nearly 841,000

• Disproportionately Affected Demographics

  Rural areas, Black Americans, Young people/teenagers

• Opioid Overdose Deaths (2022 provisional data)

  Close to 83,000 (majority from fentanyl)

• Daily Opioid-Related Overdose Deaths (2017 estimate)

  130

• Drug Overdose Deaths (12-month period ending 2023-01-31)

  Approx. 109,600

• Daily Drug Overdose Deaths (12-month period ending 2023-01-31)

  300

Timeline

• The first wave of the opioid epidemic began with increased prescribing of opioids for pain management. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1990s

• Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids (natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone) began to increase. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1999

• The second wave of the opioid epidemic began with rapid increases in overdose deaths involving heroin. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2010

• The third wave of the opioid epidemic began, marked by a steep tenfold increase in the synthetic opioid-involved death rate as synthetic opioids, particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl, flooded the US market. (Source: Wikipedia, Summary)

  2013

• A survey found that the great majority of Americans who used prescription opioids did not believe they were misusing them. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2015

• There were 70,237 recorded drug overdose deaths in the US; of these, 47,600 involved an opioid. A report estimated that 130 people died every day in the United States due to opioid-related drug overdose. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2017

• By this year, nearly 841,000 people had died from drug overdoses in the US since 1999, with prescription and illicit opioids responsible for 500,000 of those deaths. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2020

• Provisional data from the CDC indicated close to 83,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the United States, with the majority from fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic substances. (Source: Web Search)

  2022

• In the 12-month period ending this date, approximately 109,600 drug-overdose-related deaths occurred in the United States, at a rate of 300 deaths per day. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2023-01-31

• ASTHO published recommendations for state and territorial health officials and agencies on reducing overdose through policy interventions. (Source: Web Search)

  2023-09-01

• Catherine Jones, Senior Analyst for Government Affairs at ASTHO, published a blog post titled 'The Fentanyl Crisis Requires Ongoing and Strategic Federal Action'. (Source: Web Search)

  2024-02-19

Opioid epidemic in the United States

There is an ongoing opioid epidemic (also known as the opioid crisis) in the United States, originating out of both medical prescriptions and illegal sources. It has been described as "one of the most devastating public health catastrophes of our time". The opioid epidemic unfolded in three waves. The first wave of the epidemic in the United States began in the late 1990s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), when opioids were increasingly prescribed for pain management, resulting in a rise in overall opioid use throughout subsequent years. The second wave was from an expansion in the heroin market to supply already addicted people. The third wave, starting in 2013, was marked by a steep tenfold increase in the synthetic opioid-involved death rate as synthetic opioids flooded the US market. In the United States, there were approximately 109,600 drug-overdose-related deaths in the 12-month period ending January 31, 2023, at a rate of 300 deaths per day. From 1999 to 2020, nearly 841,000 people died from drug overdoses, with prescription and illicit opioids responsible for 500,000 of those deaths. In 2017, there were 70,237 recorded drug overdose deaths; of those deaths, 47,600 involved an opioid. A December 2017 report estimated that 130 people die every day in the United States due to opioid-related drug overdose. The great majority of Americans surveyed in 2015 who used prescription opioids did not believe that they were misusing them. The problem is significantly worse in rural areas, where socioeconomic variables, health behaviors, and accessibility to healthcare are responsible for a higher death rate. Teen use of opioids has been noticeably increasing, with prescription drugs used more than any illicit drug except cannabis - more than cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine combined.

Web Search Results

• The Fentanyl Crisis Requires Ongoing and Strategic Federal Action

  Link)") involved illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Black Americans and young people are among the hardest hit open_in_new (External Link)"). This devasting crisis is profoundly complex, and the past year has spurred on congressional hearings, proposed legislation, and federal actions related to fentanyl. [...] 1. Home 2. Communications 3. Blog 4. The Fentanyl Crisis Requires Ongoing and Strategic Federal Action The Fentanyl Crisis Requires Ongoing and Strategic Federal Action ================================================================= February 19, 2024 | Catherine Jones [...] ASTHO will continue to monitor all federal legislation and action on the fentanyl crisis and opportunities for states and territories. Author ------ ### Catherine Jones, MPH ### ASTHO Senior Analyst, Government Affairs Related Content --------------- September 01, 2023 #### Reducing Overdose Through Policy Interventions: ASTHO's Recommendations for State and Territorial Health Officials and AgenciesView More open_in_new") _keyboard\_arrow\_up_ ##### About Us

• The Fentanyl Crisis in America: Inaction is No Longer an Option

  Fentanyl continues to be a crisis, but it is a crisis that Members of both parties are working to address. Today, I hope we can explore more actions that we might take together to prevent addiction and get to the root causes of drug abuse. I welcome my colleagues' concern about this issue, and I hope they are sincere in their interest in joining this effort. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Biggs. Thank you, Ranking Member Nadler. [...] Dr. Singer. Thank you, Chair Biggs. My deepest condolences to the Rachwals. Members of the Committee, I've submitted written testimony which I'll summarize here. Leaders and commentators often refer to the fentanyl overdose crisis as an epidemic or an invasion, but these are inappropriate metaphors. Fentanyl is not a viral pathogen that jumps from host to host or a hunter seeking a defenseless prey. The influx of fentanyl is a response to market demand. [...] Through our grieving process over the past two years, we have realized the impact this crisis has had on our Nation. Today, I sit here, not only on behalf of Logan and our family, but also for every single family in this country that has suffered the loss of this tragic drug. There is an urgent need to confront the growing threat of fen- tanyl from every angle in our country. According to the DEA, fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in the United States

• Overdose Prevention Strategy - HHS.gov

  The overdose crisis has evolved over time and is now largely characterized by deaths involving illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids, including fentanyl and, increasingly, stimulants. Image Image 7: Line graph chart showing the upward trends in U.S. drug overdose deaths from 1999 - 2022. Synthetic opioids excluding methadone overdose deaths increased 103-fold Psychostimulants with abuse potential(primarily methamphetamine)overdose deaths increased 64-fold [...] People without health insurance, or who were incarcerated, or who are living in poverty are at increased risk of fatal opioid overdose. Source: MDAC Study Working Together to Combat the Overdose Crisis ---------------------------------------------- [...] Recovery support services can lead to better long-term outcomes, especially when available in communities where they are needed. Explore different types of recovery services. Recovery Support The overdose crisis is national, but the impact is personal. ------------------------------------------------------------

• Understanding the Opioid Overdose Epidemic - CDC

  The third wave began in 2013, with substantial increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, particularly those involving illegally made fentanyl and fentanyl analogs (IMFs).567 IMFs have saturated the illegal drug supply. They are often found in powder form or pressed into counterfeit pills and can be mixed into other drugs. More recently, non-opioid sedatives, such as xylazine, have been found mixed into IMFs.8 [...] The first wave began with increased prescribing of opioids in the 1990s. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids (natural and semi-synthetic opioids and methadone) increased starting around 19993 but have declined in recent years.1 #### Second wave The second wave began in 2010, with rapid increases in overdose deaths involving heroin.4 However, in recent years, heroin overdose deaths have been declining.1 #### Third wave [...] Collaboration is essential for success in preventing opioid overdose deaths. Medical personnel, emergency departments, first responders, public safety officials, mental health and substance use treatment providers, community-based organizations, public health, and members of the community all bring awareness, resources, and expertise to address this complex and fast-moving epidemic. Together, we can better coordinate efforts to prevent opioid overdoses and deaths. ## Additional resources

• Why Is Fentanyl Driving Overdose Deaths? > News > Yale Medicine

  In 2022, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), close to 83,000 people died from opioid overdoses in the United States, the majority from fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic substances. [...] But fentanyl has shifted from exclusively being produced by pharmaceutical companies to now also coming from drug cartels and other entities, says David Fiellin, MD, a Yale Medicine primary care physician who specializes in addiction medicine. “We refer to it as illicitly manufactured fentanyl,” he says. [...] Drug dealers are increasingly mixing fentanyl into all kinds of drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines. They also put it in fake prescription pills, including oxycodone (OxyContin®—one kind of oxycodone), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), and benzodiazepines—a type of sedative medication used for anxiety—such as diazepam (Valium®), that are sold on the street.