What we know

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• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine

• Fentanyl is cheap and easy to produce. It is mixed with other drugs making it more potent, addictive, and dangerous

• It can take the form of liquids, pills, and powders. (Nasal sprays, eyedrops, candy-like/prescription-like pills, and mixed in other drugs

• The lethal dose of fentanyl is 2 mgs, that's a few grains of salt or the tip of your pencil/pen

• You can’t see fentanyl, taste it, or smell it

• It is being used intentionally for its “extreme high” and unintentionally through being laced in other drugs and the user not knowing they are taking it until it’s too late.

Data​

• Last year, more than 70,000 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids across the country. This number is increasing every year, noting a spike in overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/21).

• ​Of this number, our youth are being impacted (ages 14-23). There were 4,765 deaths nationally and 661 in California alone. In California, fentanyl now behind 1 out of every 5 youth deaths. Read more at Drug Induced Mortality Data at cdc.gov

• ​The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) lab results revealed that 4 out of 10 pills are laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl

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Dead on Arrival- 20-minute YouTube Documentary