California confiscated enough fentanyl in 2023 to eliminate the state’s population over 68 times.
Alarming Rise in Fentanyl Seizures: A Lethal Threat
Startling statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials reveal a chilling reality: the amount of fentanyl seized in California this year alone could cause fatal overdoses for a staggering 2.7 billion people. To put this into perspective, the quantity confiscated, nearly 4,900 kilos, is enough to wipe out the entire population of the state 68 times over.
While the seizure of other drugs like methamphetamine and heroin has seen a decline in recent years, fentanyl has experienced a sharp increase, according to the agency’s data from the drug seizure statistic dashboard.
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The amount of fentanyl seized by the agency this year marks a significant 38 percent increase from the previous year’s confiscation of over 3,500 kilos. Shockingly, it represents an astonishing 280 percent surge from 2020.
Border patrol officials report that over 99 percent of the fentanyl seized this year was intercepted at the U.S.-Mexico border. San Francisco’s ports of entry, the second most targeted location, saw the confiscation of 15 kilos—enough to wipe out the city’s population nine times over.
Nationally, a staggering 108,000 kilos of fentanyl have been seized as of August 2023. This represents a 62 percent increase from the previous year and an alarming 400 percent surge from 2020.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid primarily used for managing severe pain-related conditions, has become a prime target for illicit production and distribution due to its high potency. This has contributed significantly to opioid-related overdoses and fatalities, as highlighted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
According to drug enforcement officials, a mere 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a potentially lethal dose, and a single kilogram of the drug has the capacity to claim the lives of 500,000 individuals.
In 2022, fentanyl overdoses accounted for over 6,000 deaths in California, comprising nearly 88 percent of all opioid-related overdose deaths, according to the latest data from the California Department of Public Health’s Overdose Surveillance Dashboard.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has taken action to combat the fentanyl and opioid crisis. His plan, announced in March, includes expanding California National Guard-assisted initiatives, which have already resulted in a staggering 594 percent increase in confiscated fentanyl.
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