Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
2023
This brief from the Council on Foreign Relations examines the economic and national security implications of the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States. The impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the opioid crisis is also highlighted, as overdose deaths have spiked in the U.S. during the pandemic. The brief examines which drugs contribute to the crisis, from prescription opioid medications and illicit drugs such as heroin to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. This brief explores the scale and demographics of the opioid epidemic and breaks down the economic consequences. It also digs deeper into U.S. national policy on foreign narcotics to see where heroin and fentanyl are coming from, the domestic supply of opioids, and how the government is seeking to reduce demand.
Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
Source:
Klobucista C, Ferragamo M. Fentanyl and the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. Council on Foreign Relations 2023. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/us-opioidepidemic.