Illicit fentanyl use is more than double medical use in US
The largest study to date to quantify and compare medical and illicit fentanyl use in the United States suggests that illicit use is more than twice as common as medical use.
A major study has found that illicit use of fentanyl is more than double the amount of medical use in the United States. The analysis, which reviewed data from over 300 million patients, revealed that 71.1% of fentanyl users obtained the drug illegally, compared to just 28.9% who received it through a prescription or in a medical setting.
Illicit fentanyl use is linked to a significantly higher risk of nonfatal overdoses, abuse or misuse, and dependence, with the risk of nonfatal overdose being up to three times higher among illicit users than medical users. This is the largest study to date to quantify and compare medical and illicit fentanyl use in the U.S., and it provides a clearer picture of the scope of the problem.
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