CDC Warns Carfentanil 100 Times More Potent Than Fentanyl

Health officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning about the synthetic opioid carfentanil, which is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and has killed people in 37 states over the past several years.

Carfentanil was designed to tranquilize elephants and other large mammals and has been attributed to 513 overdose deaths between January 2021 and June 2024, according to a new CDC report published Thursday.

According to the CDC data, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia experienced the greatest number of overdose deaths associated with carfentanil from January 2023 to June 2024.

The CDC noted in its report that "recent sharp increases in overdose deaths with carfentanil detected, although rare, highlight the ever-changing illegal drug supply and threaten progress in reducing overdose deaths."

Overdoses from carfentanil increased approximately sevenfold in the course of a year, from 29 during January to June 2023 to 238 during January to June 2024.

Carfentanil is available in powder, blotter paper, tablet, patch and spray form, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and can be inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin.

While the lethal dose range for carfentanil in humans has not been established, 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal to humans, the DEA said.

In addition to being 100 times more potent than fentanyl, carfentanil is reportedly 10,000 times more potent than morphine.

The report indicates that the carfentanil involved in the recorded overdoses was likely manufactured illegally and not stolen from legal sources.

The highly-addictive drug affects the brain in the same way as codeine, heroin, and oxycodone, essentially stopping or dulling the sensation of pain.

The DEA recommends that anyone who has been exposed to carfentanil should seek immediate medical attention, as the drug can take effect very quickly.

Signs of exposure include slowed or stopped breathing, drowsiness, disorientation, sedation, pinpoint pupils, and clammy skin, with the onset of these symptoms usually occurring within minutes of exposure.

While waiting for first responders to arrive, bystanders can use the opioid reversal agent naloxone, giving a dose every 2-3 minutes until the individual is breathing on their own for at least 15 minutes, according to the DEA.

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