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DEA seized over 379M deadly doses of fentanyl in 2022: 'Enough to kill every American'

More than 50.6 million fentanyl-laced pills and 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder were seized since the beginning of the year

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA: The Drug Enforcement Administration on December 21 stated that it seized over 379 million fentanyl doses in 2022 amid the country's surge in drug overdose deaths. As per the statement released by the DEA, more than 50.6 million fentanyl-laced pills and 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder were seized since the beginning of the year.

The amount of the deadly dose seized is "enough to kill every American in 2022". Fifty times stronger than heroin, just 2 mg of the synthetic opioid is considered a potentially deadly dose. The DEA HQ's official page tweeted, "In the past year, DEA has relentlessly worked to seize over 379 million deadly doses of fentanyl from communities across the country– enough to kill every American!" and shared a document link that gives "tips for parents & caregivers about fake pills & the dangers of fentanyl."

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"As 2022 ends, #DEA announces the seizure of over 50.6 million fentanyl-laced, fake Rx pills & more than 10,000 lbs of fentanyl powder this year. The DEA Lab estimates that these seizures represent over 379 million potentially deadly doses of fentanyl," DEA HQ tweeted on December 20.

The DEA issued a warning in 2021 about fake fentanyl-laced pills that look similar to prescription drugs, including OxyContin, Percocet, and Xanax, reports the New York Post. The laboratory of the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted a test earlier in 2022 that showed six out of 10 fake pills had a deadly level of fentanyl dose. The US Customs and Border Protection confiscated over 1,825 pounds of fentanyl dose at the southern border entry ports, last October.

According to ABC News, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study released information on the sharp rise in opioid overdose deaths among teenagers during the pandemic, mainly fentanyl-driven as well as an increase in opioid overdoses. Between 2020 and 2021, overdose among teenagers aged 14 to 18 increased by 94% and by an added 20% in the same period. The report stated that researchers pointed out the leap in fentanyl-related overdose deaths by 350% between 2019 and 2020. In 2021, 77% of overdose deaths among adolescents resulted from fentanyl intake. The outlet reported that fentanyl is created using chemicals shipped in from China by the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels in Mexico who are the primary sources behind fentanyl trafficked into the US.