by Dr. Joseph Mercola, Mercola:
STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- 84% of all teen overdose deaths in 2021 were related to fentanyl
- Fentanyl-related adolescent overdose deaths nearly tripled between 2019 and 2021, and a quarter of those deaths involved counterfeit drugs — pills like valium, Xanax or Percocet, often obtained from friends or bought through social media
- Fentanyl is an incredibly potent synthetic opioid. It’s 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Just 2 milligrams, equal to 10 to 15 grains of table salt, can be lethal