Overdose deaths decrease, but new deadly drug carfentanil emerges, DEA says
Overdose deaths have decreased significantly but federal agents are tracking a new, powerful and deadly drug they are concerned about.
Drug overdose deaths have reached their lowest levels since 2019, according to recent CDC data. They fell by nearly 27%, which is equivalent to 81 lives saved daily.
Law enforcement says they are tracking similar trends in the Tri-State area, but overdoses remain the leading cause of death for adults under the age of 45.
"Even though there's a noticeable drop, it is not in any way, shape or form an indicator that this crisis is over," said Frank Tarentino, the special agent in charge of the DEA's New York division.
Three years ago, opioid deaths were at an all-time high. That was partly due to fentanyl, a powerful, addictive and man-made synthetic opioid being mixed inside the drugs.
Tarentino attributes the decrease in deaths partly to law enforcement targeting the supply chain, to education campaigns and to the increased access to Narcan, a medicine that helps reverse opioid overdoses.
"We're always looking at what the cartels are trying to do next," Tarentino said.
7 On Your Side Investigates went where few people are allowed to go: inside the DEA's drug lab in New York, one of the largest in the country. It's where they are tracking new, disturbing trends.
The special agent in charge said they are seeing a slight decrease in fentanyl in the drugs being seized right now, but they're seeing an increase in carfentanil. It's also a man-made synthetic opioid that's used as an elephant tranquilizer. It's 100 times more powerful than fentanyl.
"This is probably one of the most significant threats we've seen in some time," Tarentino said.
Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly. A lethal dose of carfentanil is even smaller. It's equivalent to the size of a few grains of salt. The DEA is seeing it mixed into powders and pills. Some of the pills are meant to look like legitimate prescriptions.
"Let's be clear about this, these are not legitimate pharmaceutical drugs, these are fake pills made to look like pharmaceutical drugs but they're really fentanyl pills and they now have carfentanil mixed into them," Tarentino said.
Drug dealers are looking to spend the least amount of money on the most highly addictive drugs, not caring who they will kill, according to law enforcement officials.
"Experimentation is not an option," Tarentino said. "The drugs today are way more powerful, more dangerous and more widely available than they ever were before."
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