The number of individual pills containing illicit fentanyl seized by law enforcement increased dramatically between 2017 and 2023, according to a study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy. Over 115 million pills containing illicit fentanyl were seized by law enforcement in 2023, compared to 49,657 in 2017. This research highlights the increasingly dangerous illicit drug supply, and risk of using pills from any source other than a pharmacy.
See NIDA’s press release on this study for additional information.
Reference:
- J Palamar, et al. National and Regional Trends in Fentanyl Seizures in the United States, 2017-2023. International Journal of Drug Policy. DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104417 (2024).
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NIDA
| Year | Number of individual pills containing illicit fentanyl seized by law enforcement |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 49,657 |
| 2018 | 290,304 |
| 2019 | 1,572,731 |
| 2020 | 4,149,037 |
| 2021 | 11,450,142 |
| 2022 | 44,461,443 |
| 2023 | 115,562,603 |