Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin. The illicit trade of fentanyl has triggered a new health crisis in the United States, overwhelming emergency services with a surge of overdoses, often among the young. The synthetic opioids are from Mexico, where they've disrupted the drugs market.

There is no need to cultivate poppies or rely on rural communities for opium production. Fentanyl, disguised as harmless-looking pills, is easy, inconspicuous, and simple to produce and transport. However, a single pill can be lethal. The devastating effects of this substance are gradually spreading throughout the American continent.