Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in California and the United States.

There were 6,843 opioid-related overdose deaths in California in 2021; 5,722 of these deaths were related to Fentanyl.

In 2022, DEA seized more than 58.3 million fentanyl-lace fake pills and more than 13,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. The 2022 seizures are equivalent to more than 387.9 million lethal doses of fentanyl.

The 2023 fentanyl seizures represent over 204 million deadly doses. *