Further, the share of overall fentanyl seizures that involved pills quadrupled over the exact same duration– with the 115.6 million tablets took in 2023 representing 49 percent of overall seizures.This is the first time that such current seizure data has actually been published separating between fentanyl powder and pills, states the research group led by experts at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of Florida.Law enforcement drug seizures are utilized as a proxy for drug accessibility or supply, but do not always indicate the occurrence of illegal drug usage. Unlike many study data and surveillance systems which can lag by a year or more, HIDTA data are made readily available quarterly, which enables for analysis in nearly real time.The team of detectives determined 8 signs of potential shifts in illicit fentanyl supply or accessibility consisting of the number of overall seizures, powder seizures, pill seizures, and the overall weight of seizures. They likewise looked at the percentage of pill seizures in comparison to overall seizures.In the U.S. general between 2017 and 2023, there were 66,303 seizures, with 67.3 percent of fentanyl seizures being in powder type and 32.7 percent in tablet form. States with the highest percentage of seizures in pill type consist of New Mexico (98.4 percent), Colorado (94.8%) and Wyoming (93.8 percent)One research study restriction recognized by Palamar was that due to the nature of HIDTA data collection, the private investigators were not able to separate whether seizures were entirely fentanyl, fentanyl integrated with other drugs, or fentanyl analogs (such as carfentanil, one of the most powerful opioids in presence).
Between 2017 and 2023, U.S. police reported an incredible boost of over 1,700 percent in illegal fentanyl seizures, with tablets comprising almost half of these by 2023. This shift toward pill-based seizures, typically disguised as common medications, highlights a substantial advancement in the drug landscape, with particular regions like the West experiencing the most substantial boosts. Credit: SciTechDaily.comU.S. fentanyl seizures escalated by over 1,700% from 2017 to 2023, with nearly half of the seizures in pill form by 2023, showing a significant shift in the drug market and increased overdose risks.The number of illicit fentanyl seizures by law enforcement in the United States grew by more than 1,700 percent in between 2017 and 2023, according to a new analysis. Even more, the share of total fentanyl seizures that included pills quadrupled over the exact same duration– with the 115.6 million tablets seized in 2023 representing 49 percent of overall seizures.This is the very first time that such current seizure information has been published separating in between fentanyl powder and tablets, states the research study group led by specialists at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the University of Florida.Law enforcement drug seizures are used as a proxy for drug schedule or supply, however do not necessarily suggest the frequency of illicit drug usage. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and involved in approximately two-thirds of all U.S. overdoses. More than 100,000 people continue to die from drug overdoses each year.Comprehensive Analysis of Seizure DataThe findings, released online May 13 in the International Journal of Drug Policy, also indicated that fentanyl seizures differed by U.S. region. Fentanyl seizures were initially less common in the West; nevertheless, by 2023, the West had the greatest number of all seizures by weight, and 85 percent of all taken fentanyl tablets. The greatest variety of fentanyl seizures in powder form– which can quickly be utilized to adulterate other drugs and make them deadlier– was highest in the South. While the Midwest had less fentanyl seizures overall, researchers saw a particularly noteworthy spike in fentanyl tablet seizures there.”About half of taken fentanyl is now in pill type, suggesting that the illicit drug landscape has actually quickly changed,” stated research study lead author Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH, an associate professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone Health and deputy director of the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS). “Fentanyl in tablet kind not just makes it easier for people to initiate use, however likewise increases the chances that individuals who buy illegal pills could be inadvertently exposed to fentanyl considering that it is commonly present in counterfeit pills pushed to look like oxycodone, Xanax, and even Adderall.”How the Study Was ConductedPalamar and colleagues examined yearly patterns in seizures of tablets and powders consisting of fentanyl using information from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program for the U.S. general, along with by region, from 2017 through 2023. Unlike a lot of survey data and monitoring systems which can lag by a year or more, HIDTA information are provided quarterly, which permits for analysis in practically real time.The group of detectives determined eight indications of possible shifts in illegal fentanyl supply or accessibility including the variety of total seizures, powder seizures, pill seizures, and the total weight of seizures. They also looked at the percentage of pill seizures in contrast to overall seizures.In the U.S. overall between 2017 and 2023, there were 66,303 seizures, with 67.3 percent of fentanyl seizures remaining in powder form and 32.7 percent in tablet form. The total number of seizures during that time duration increased by more than 1,700 percent.Regional Findings and Study LimitationsIn 2023, specifies with the biggest variety of seizures included Florida, Arizona, and California respectively. The greatest variety of pill seizures were in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The Northeast had the fewest tablets took in 2023. The West constantly had the largest percentage of fentanyl pills relative to all seizures, more than likely to distance to the Mexican border, stated Palamar, however his teams findings reveal all areas are slowly capturing up and that tablets are dominating much of the fentanyl market. States with the highest percentage of seizures in pill type include New Mexico (98.4 percent), Colorado (94.8%) and Wyoming (93.8 percent)One research study restriction determined by Palamar was that due to the nature of HIDTA data collection, the private investigators were unable to separate whether seizures were entirely fentanyl, fentanyl combined with other drugs, or fentanyl analogs (such as carfentanil, among the most powerful opioids in presence). Even so, Palamar maintains that detection of any fentanyl in a drug seizure can be an essential indicator for risk of overdose.Reference: “National and regional patterns in fentanyl seizures in the United States, 2017– 2023” 13 May 2024, International Journal of Drug Policy.DOI: 10.1016/ j.drugpo.2024.104417 In addition to Palamar, co-investigators consist of Linda B. Cottler, PhD, MPH, and Nicole Fitzgerald at the University of Florida in Gainesville; Thomas H. Carr, at the University of Baltimore in Maryland; senior author Daniel Ciccarone, MD, MPH, at the University of California, San Francisco.Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under grant numbers U01DA051126, T32DA035167, and R01DA057289. The material of this research study is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
