How Fentanyl is Creating the Worst Drug Epidemic in U.S. History

How Fentanyl is Creating the Worst Drug Epidemic in U.S. History

Apache. Goodfella. Drop Dead. China White. Serial Killer.

The drug Fentanyl has a ton of street names, as the opiate has slowly taken over the United States. Like heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs, fentanyl binds to the body’s opiate receptors, highly concentrated in areas of the brain that control pain and emotions. When the drug binds to the receptors, dopamine levels are elevated, leaving the user/abuser in a state of euphoria. It can become highly addictive, and will slowly deteriorate the body and mind like any other opiate.

But why is it being considered the worst drug epidemic in U.S. history, above heroin, cocaine, or any other fatal drug? Part of the problem lies in pharmaceutical companies – yes, fentanyl can be prescribed – and the Mexican drug lords, combining the opiate with other harmful street drugs.

The Naked Truth learns more about the drug’s rise, and its effects on the country, in this six-part mini-documentary. Part one, embedded below, traces the drug’s origins.

Photo credit: Leszek Czerwonka/Shutterstock

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