Deadly Drug Driving Surge In Young Lives Lost

It’s killing a generation.

A recent study has revealed that fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, is now the leading cause of fatal drug overdoses among teens and young adults. Researchers found that many of these deaths are due to fentanyl being taken on its own, rather than mixed with other substances. Between 2018 and 2022, fatalities involving fentanyl alone among people aged 15 to 24 increased by 168%, now making up the majority of overdoses in this age group.

The research, published in Pediatrics, involved analyzing national death records to track overdose trends in young people. Contrary to expectations that most deaths would involve fentanyl mixed with other drugs like cocaine or prescription opioids, the study found the opposite: fentanyl alone was the main cause. This finding surprised researchers, including Noa Krawczyk of NYU Langone, who noted that the data shifted their understanding of overdose patterns in youth.

Fentanyl’s extreme potency — approximately 100 times stronger than morphine — makes even small amounts deadly. The overdose death rate for fentanyl-only use rose from 1.6 per 100,000 in 2018 to 4.3 per 100,000 in 2022. By comparison, overdoses involving fentanyl combined with benzodiazepines or cocaine remained significantly lower. Overall, synthetic opioids were responsible for nearly all opioid-related deaths in young people by 2022.

The demographics of overdose victims are also changing. While white youth had the highest fentanyl-related overdose rates in 2019, the rates among Black, Hispanic, and Native American youth have since surpassed those of white youth. Males in this age range are more than twice as likely as females to die from fentanyl overdoses.

The researchers emphasized the urgency of educating young people about the dangers of fentanyl and making harm-reduction tools widely available. Megan Miller, the study’s lead author, suggested leveraging schools, workplaces, shelters, and justice systems as access points for education and distributing naloxone and fentanyl test strips. She stressed that prevention efforts must be tailored to different youth populations depending on the types of drugs they are using.