Columbus, Ohio (amazing) – Authorities across the United States are warning about carfentanil, a dangerous synthetic opioid 10,000 times stronger than morphine and 100 times stronger Stronger than fentanyl.
“The presence of carfentanil in U.S. illicit drug markets is a cause for concern, as the relative potency of this drug could lead to an increase in overdoses and overdose-related deaths, even among opioid users who are opioid-tolerant,” the DEA said in a press release. “The presence of carfentanil poses a significant threat to first responders and law enforcement personnel who may come into contact with this substance.”
In Ohio, the number of drug samples containing multiple substances is increasing throughout the region, as experts warn of rising levels of carfentanil.
Chemists with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) say carfentanil poses a risk to public health and public safety.
In 2025, the BCI has identified more than 199 substances containing carfentanil, which they say is more than in the past four to five years of testing combined.
“There were just over 1,200 samples in 2017, so we’re not quite there yet, but it’s much higher than the 30 to 40 samples we saw in the last couple,” said Jessica Toms, laboratory director at BCI.
Carfentanil is used as a tranquilizer for elephants and other large animals, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
An amount as small as the tip of a pencil can be fatal. Officials say it is often manufactured overseas and shipped to the United States, where it appears as tablets and powder in different colors.
BCI says the substance has been found in 46 counties across Ohio and surrounding states, and is typically mixed with cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, making it highly toxic when combined.
“When I first started testing drug chemistry evidence here at BCI, the drug substances we were testing contained only one substance. ‘You had cocaine, it was cocaine, and you had heroin, it was heroin,’” Toms said. “Now, it’s not uncommon to see five or six different drugs mixed together. “I think the most we have is 12 controlled substances in one sample.”
Drug and health leaders warn that the increase in lab-made drugs like carfentanil is leading to overdoses and deaths across the Ohio region. They urge the public to be aware of the dangers of drug abuse and to carry resources like Narcan to help prevent fatal overdoses.