Fentanyl is causing a crisis in the United States. It is a leading cause of drug overdose deaths. Just a small amount of this substance can kill the average adult.
The biggest issue is the drug is finding its way into other drugs, and many people who die from an overdose did not intend to ingest fentanyl. It is a scary situation that damages families everywhere, including in New Jersey.
Deaths due to fentanyl
The number of deaths due to fentanyl in 2019 was about 75% of all drug-related fatalities. This was a huge jump in just seven years. In 2012, only a small percentage of people died due to the substance. The opioid crisis is fully impacting the state, and anyone using any type of drug is at risk.
Increasing risks
The main reason for the high number of deaths is that fentanyl is everywhere. Dealers are using it to cut other drugs. These people are unaware of how to do this safely, which means they often add too much. It is not difficult to make a drug lethal by adding fentanyl. They then sell these laced drugs to unsuspecting people.
The users have no idea what is in the product. They use it as they usually do but end up dying due to an overdose of fentanyl. No drug is safe, even the usually harmless marijuana.
Anyone using drugs should be aware of this danger. They can never know when fentanyl could be in a drug they are using, and it takes just a minute amount to lead to death.
