Last Updated on September 6, 2022 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
Various social media users are claiming that fentanyl is the number one killer of Americans aged 18-48. We fact-checked and found the claim to be Mostly False.
The Claim
A social media post reads, “Parents Beware: Fentanyl is the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 18-48”. The tweet is embedded below.
Another post claims that it surpasses the death by gun, suicides, COVID-19 and car accidents.
Fact Check
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is similar but more potent than morphine. In some countries, it is distributed as a prescription drug. It is a medicine that is used to treat severe pain in patients who undergo surgery or are intolerant to other opiods. In the past few years, illicit manufacturing and importing of fentanyl has skyrocketed.
What is Fentanyl overdose?
Fentanyl works by binding itself to the body’s opioid receptor, which are present in that part of the brain that controls emotions and pain. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, if a person overconsumes opiods, the brain adapts to the drug, diminishing its sensitivity and ultimately, the patient wont feel pleasure from anything beside the drug. An overdose occurs when a drug produces serious adverse effects and life-threatening symptoms such as making the breathing slow or even stop, which causes hypoxia (decreased oxygen reaching the brain), which can lead to coma and permanent brain damage.
Is Fentanyl the no. 1 cause of death amongst young Americans?
Not exactly. Even though Fentanyl or drug overdose is a major cause of death amongst young Americans, but there is no credible evidence proving that it is the no.1 cause. According to the CDC, around 71,000 people died from overdosing on synthetic opioids like fentanyl in 2021, up from almost 58,000 in 2020. In comparison, the CDC estimates that in 2020, almost 700,000 people died from heart disease, roughly 600,000 from cancer and around 350,000 due to COVID-19.
THIP Media Take – Even though the number of deaths due to opioid (fentanyl) overdose are increasing at an alarming rate, it is still not the number one cause of death in Americans. Heart diseases, cancer and covid-19 are unfortunately the major cause of death as per the numbers available.
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