According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Global News did a report in October 2016 about fentanyl, and it turns out heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine contained fentanyl. When drugs like heroin are cut with the deadly fentanyl, it increases the risk of overdosing due to the high potency fentanyl carries. Fentanyl is making its way through more and more cities across Canada, putting drug users at risk because its unknown if street narcotics are being cut with fentanyl.

THE OPIOID ABUSE BY THE NUMBERS

Global News provided stats on which narcotics contain fentanyl.

As you can see from the two graphs via the Globe and Mail, the fentanyl crisis is a real issue that is only on the rise, claiming more lives each year.

Fentanyl has been linked in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland as of 2016. Most provinces have faced hundreds of deaths since the spike in fentanyl abuse.

Click the link above to listen to How Niagara Is Battling Fentanyl Crisis-Interview. The interview is available on Soundcloud.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EPIDEMIC BY WATCHING THESE DOCUMENTARIES

There are many high quality documentaries on North America's opioid epidemic. Watch to get an insiders view into what seems like a never ending issue.

Sources:

http://globalnews.ca/news/3016218/experts-sound-alarm-after-43-increase-of-fentanyl-laced-street-drugs-tested-in-canada/

https://nowtoronto.com/news/face-to-face-with-canada-s-fentanyl-crisis/

http://www.citynews.ca/2016/03/07/opioid-overdose-deaths-continue-to-rise-in-canada-despite-removal-of-oxycontin/

http://globalnews.ca/news/3072316/a-province-by-province-look-at-opioid-overdose-stats-including-fentanyl/