12 Questions
What is the fourth wave of the opioid epidemic referring to?
The fourth wave refers to the surge in fentanyl overdose deaths across the United States.
How does the potency of fentanyl compare to heroin?
Fentanyl is 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Where is most of the illegal fentanyl found in the US sourced from?
Most of the illegal fentanyl found in the US is trafficked from Mexico using chemicals sourced from China.
What was the primary driver of drug overdose deaths in the US before the fentanyl crisis?
Before the fentanyl crisis, drug overdose deaths were mostly driven by the use of heroin or prescription opioids.
How does the author personalize the impact of the fentanyl crisis?
The author shares the story of Kim Blake's son Sean, who died from an accidental fentanyl overdose at the age of 27.
What is the significance of the milestone mentioned in the text regarding drug overdose deaths in the US?
In 2021, the US witnessed a grim milestone where drug overdoses killed more than 100,000 people for the first time ever in a single year.
According to the study, what was the primary factor behind the unprecedented overdose crisis in the United States?
The rise of illicitly manufactured fentanyl.
How widespread is the impact of fentanyl across the United States?
Virtually every corner of the US has been touched by fentanyl, from Hawaii to Alaska to Rhode Island.
When did the rise in fentanyl-related deaths first become noticeable?
The rise in fentanyl-related deaths was first observed in 2015.
How did the geographic distribution of fentanyl overdoses change between 2018 and 2019?
In 2018, around 80% of fentanyl overdoses happened east of the Mississippi river, but in 2019, fentanyl became part of the drug supply in the Western US, leading to an increase in death rates there.
What concerning trend related to fentanyl use did the researchers highlight in their study?
The researchers sounded the alarm on the growing trend of deaths related to the use of fentanyl and another stimulant drug, like cocaine or methamphetamine.
How did the patterns of fentanyl and stimulant drug use differ across regions of the United States?
In northeastern US states like Vermont and Connecticut, deaths were primarily driven by the use of fentanyl and cocaine, where cocaine has been traditionally more available. But for virtually everywhere else, deaths were primarily driven by the use of both methamphetamines and fentanyl.
Learn about how the fourth wave of the fentanyl crisis has affected every corner of the United States, leading to a rise in overdose deaths. Explore the personal story of a mother who lost her son to a fentanyl overdose and the ongoing battle against substance use in communities across the country.
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