Crime lab results can be inconsistent, especially when it comes to the chemical composition of drugs seized from the scene of arrests. There are reports of field tests failing to tell the difference between cocaine and laundry detergent, for example. When the forensics lab says, “fentanyl,” though, you know you have a problem. 

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times as strong as morphine and twice as strong as heroin, causes more overdose deaths than any other drug. Most people who overdose on fentanyl are unaware that they are taking it. Fentanyl is prevalent in counterfeit prescription pills, so you might think that you are buying or selling oxycodone or even a non-opioid prescription pill such as Adderall or Xanax. Stashes of what appeared to be cannabis have even tested positive for fentanyl in forensics labs.  

The bad news is that prosecutors still play on jurors’ fears of fentanyl when prosecuting drug cases. The good news is that the DEA’s most recent report on fentanyl statistics offers some encouraging news. A Tulsa drug charge lawyer can help you if you are facing charges related to the illegal possession, sale, purchase, or transport of fentanyl.

For the First Time in Years, Fentanyl-Associated Overdoses Seem to Be on the Decline

Every year, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) releases a report with statistics related to drugs and drug crimes nationwide. The most recent report, which the DEA issued in November 2024, covers data collected between June 2023 and June 2024. The period under study showed some encouraging trends related to fentanyl in the United States. First, fatal overdoses involving fentanyl decreased by more than 14 percent compared to the preceding year. This is the biggest year-over-year decrease in fentanyl-related deaths since the DEA began reporting them.

One reason for the decrease in fentanyl deaths is the widespread availability of naloxone, a drug that, when given intranasally, reverses the symptoms of opioid overdose almost immediately. Greater access to addiction treatment, including medication-assisted therapy, could also play a role.

Another encouraging piece of news in the DEA’s most recent report is that fentanyl is becoming less prevalent in the illegal drug supply. In most of the years for which the DEA compiled data, about 70% of the pills seized in drug busts contained fentanyl. For the year ending in June 2024, only 50% of counterfeit pills seized by the DEA tested positive for fentanyl. This is due in part to successful efforts by law enforcement to intercept shipments of fentanyl. It is also due to recent increases in the price of fentanyl, making the drug less profitable than it used to be. Instead, illegal drug manufacturers are turning to even cheaper ingredients.

Contact Tracy Tiernan About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you exercise your rights if you are being charged with possession of counterfeit prescription pills that tested positive for fentanyl. Contact Tracy Tiernan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to discuss your case.