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State of California Department of Justice
Rob Bonta
Attorney General
Attorney General
Fentanyl is a powerful and potentially addictive synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin.
A small amount of fentanyl, just two milligrams, can result in overdose and potentially death.
Fentanyl can be found in different forms, including pills, powder, and liquid, and is produced legally through the legal pharmaceutical market and illegally through the illicit drug market.
Illicit fentanyl has been found in many drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills, and cocaine.
Fentanyl mixed with any drug increases the likelihood of a fatal overdose. Illicit fentanyl has also reportedly been produced in rainbow colors, potentially aimed at increasing consumption among users, especially young adults.
In California in 2020, 5,502 people died due to opioid overdose, and 3,946 died due to fentanyl overdose.
The nation has experienced the overdose epidemic in three distinct but interconnected waves: an increase in deaths from prescription opioid overdoses since the 1990s, an increase in heroin deaths starting in 2010, and a more recent surge in deaths from other illicit opioids, such as fentanyl.
