CDC warns about dangerous carfentanil: 100 times more potent than fentanyl
CDC is warning about a carfentanil that is 100 times more potent than fentanyl that has caused hundreds of deaths in 37 states.
Carfentanil is produced in powder, paper, tablet, patch and spray form, and can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin.
Approximately 70% of U.S. overdose deaths in 2023 were estimated to involve illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs). Local reports indicate reemergence of carfentanil, a fentanyl analog.
Overdose deaths overall and with IMFs detected began declining in 2023. Percentages of overdose deaths with IMFs detected were stable (approximately 70%–80%) during 2021–2024, except in the West where the percentage increased from 48.5% to 66.5%. Although rare, deaths with carfentanil detected increased approximately sevenfold, from 29 during January–June 2023 to 238 during January–June 2024; 37 states reported carfentanil detection.