Explosion in US adolescent overdoses, mainly fentanyl

Drug overdoses among people aged 10 to 18 more than doubled in the United States between 2019 and 2021, according to a study released Thursday by health authorities, who warned in particular of the risks of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.

The average monthly rate of overdose among adolescents increased by 109 percent between 2019 and 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

And the number of overdoses involving illegally manufactured fentanyl increased by 182 percent.

However, illicit drug use among adolescents was down overall during the same period, suggesting that the rise in deaths was likely caused by more potent drugs rather than more frequent usage, the study said.

Fentanyl, an ultra-potent and addictive synthetic opiate, is easy to produce at low cost in the laboratory, and the drug has flooded the American market over recent years.

According to the study, around a quarter of adolescent overdoses were linked to counterfeit pills, often sold under the guise of Oxycodone, a painkiller, or Alprazolam, an anxiety drug often known by the brand name Xanax.