The U.S. opioid epidemic has reached a devastating new milestone, with fentanyl-fueled overdoses killing 110,236 Americans in 2022 alone—a 137% increase since 2019. According to CDC data, this synthetic opioid now accounts for 70% of drug-related deaths nationwide.
\"In one week, eight people died in my arms,\" a recovering addict at St. John of God Health Care Services told CGTN Stringer. \"I came from a good family and had a good job… fentanyl made my life go straight down.\"
What makes fentanyl particularly dangerous is its potency: Just 2 milligrams—equivalent to 10-15 grains of salt—can be lethal. Public health experts warn its proliferation in counterfeit pills and mixed drug supplies is driving overdoses across socioeconomic lines, with middle-class users increasingly affected.
While expanded access to naloxone has prevented thousands of deaths, many addiction specialists argue current policies fail to address root causes like mental health crises exacerbated by pandemic isolation. As Congress debates new legislation, families across America continue battling this invisible killer.
Reference(s):
U.S. recovering addict: 8 people died due to fentanyl overdoses
cgtn.com
