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The Conversation USA

What is fentanyl and why is it behind the deadly surge in US drug overdoses? A medical toxicologist explains

  • Written by Kavita Babu, Professor of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School
imageOnly a small amount of fentanyl is enough to be lethal.AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Buying drugs on the street is a game of Russian roulette. From Xanax to cocaine, drugs or counterfeit pills purchased in nonmedical settings may contain life-threatening amounts of fentanyl.

Physicians like me have seen a rise in unintentional fentanyl use from people...

Read more: What is fentanyl and why is it behind the deadly surge in US drug overdoses? A medical...

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