California Needs a Comprehensive Response to the Fentanyl Crisis Based on Evidence

California, like much of the country, is facing a catastrophic fentanyl crisis. The drug — which can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine — has become the fastest-growing cause of death for young people in our state.

Because of its extreme potency, fentanyl is frequently added to other drugs to make them cheaper and more powerful. Most victims consume it accidentally because the drug is odorless, tasteless, and colorless, making it incredibly difficult to detect and all the more dangerous to our young people.