Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported over 2,000 drug-related overdose deaths occurred in the state in 2021. Around 70% of these deaths were caused by synthetic opioids (non-heroin opioids) like illicit fentanyl.
https://health.mo.gov/data/opioids/
Drug overdose is the #1 leading cause of death among adults age 18-44 in Missouri.
https://health.mo.gov/data/opioids/
Fentanyl is often described as 80-100 times stronger than morphine or about 50 times stronger than heroin.
https://harmreduction.org/
Starting in 2012, there has been a spike in the number of overdose deaths related to synthetic opioids. Overdose deaths involving fentanyl have quadrupled in recent years.
https://harmreduction.org/