The fight against fentanyl is active but has a long way to go

The United States’ largest-ever drug crisis continues, spurred by the rise of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The fight is underway, but progress is irregular and tough. Recent events show the deadly drug remains in demand among users and lucrative for dealers.

Over 47,000 opioid deaths occur each year — 130 each day — mostly due to fentanyl made in black market labs, not pills diverted from pharmacies. It was good news that the Centers for Disease Control announced in August a one-year, 4.6% drop in opioid deaths and a 7% decline in prescription opioid deaths. But the CDC’s bad news can’t be glossed over: Deaths due to illegally-made fentanyl went up by 11.1%, and it remains responsible for the majority of opioid deaths.