“The increase is remarkable because fentanyl only arrived in the illicit drug supply in a noticeable way around 2012, and has now raced ahead of drugs usually responsible for overdose deaths. Fentanyl is roughly 50 times more potent than morphine and about 10 times more potent than heroin.” Fentanyl Is Now The Leading Cause Of US Overdose Deaths. (21,000 in 2016.)

+ “I’m not an alarmist by nature, but this is not overhyped. It has completely overwhelmed us.” NYT: As Overdose Deaths Pile Up, a Medical Examiner Quits the Morgue.