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Between 2017 and 2023, U.S. law enforcement reported a staggering increase of over 1,700 percent in illicit fentanyl seizures, with pills making up nearly half of these by 2023. This shift toward pill-based seizures, often disguised as common medications, highlights a significant evolution in the drug landscape, with certain regions like the West experiencing the most substantial increases. Credit: SciTechDaily.
This is the first time that such up-to-date seizure data has been published differentiating between fentanyl powder and pills, says the research team led by experts at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and theLaw enforcement drug seizures are used as a proxy for drug availability or supply, but do not necessarily indicate the prevalence of illicit drug use. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid up to 50 times more potent than heroin and involved in approximately two-thirds of all U.S. overdoses.
The team of investigators measured eight indicators of potential shifts in illicit fentanyl supply or availability including the number of total seizures, powder seizures, pill seizures, and the total weight of seizures. They also looked at the percentage of pill seizures in comparison to total seizures.
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