Fentanyl Deaths Among Teens

According to the CDC, fentanyl-related overdose deaths among teens nearly tripled from 2019 to 2021. By 2023, fentanyl accounted for 76% of all adolescent drug overdose fatalities — a higher proportion than among adults — though the total number of teen overdose deaths declined slightly in 2023 for the first time in four years.

Fentanyl is increasingly being found not only in drugs sold as opioids, but also in counterfeit prescription pills and psychostimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine (meth).

Black teenagers and other adolescents of color have been disproportionately affected by the fentanyl crisis. Research published in Pediatrics found that overdoses involving synthetic opioids among youth increased 168% from 2018 to 2022, with racial disparities widening significantly over that period.

What Is Fentanyl?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s about 50 times more potent than heroin.

Fentanyl is also chemically similar to:

• morphine
• methadone
• oxycodone (OxyContin)
• hydrocodone (Vicodin)

For years, fentanyl has been a driving force of the U.S. opioid epidemic and overdose crisis, killing thousands of American adults and teens each year.

What Is Causing A Rise In Fentanyl Overdose Deaths Among Teens?

Experts have pointed to several factors to explain the rise in fentanyl overdose deaths among teens in recent years.

COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, drug overdose deaths skyrocketed, with fentanyl as the leading driver.

Teens experienced significant disruption to their usual supports, including friendships, school routines, addiction treatment access, and family stability, which contributed to increased overdose risk during that period.

Other factors believed to affect overdose risk include:

• loneliness
• social isolation
• problems at home
• social inequality

Learn how COVID-19 has affected addiction rates.

Stress And Mental Health

The U.S. Surgeon General has issued warnings about a national youth mental health crisis — a concern that has deepened in recent years. The share of high school students reporting persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased from 30% in 2013 to 40% in 2023, according to CDC data.

Stress and mental health disorders such as depression are known risk factors for substance misuse — and can increase the risk of fatal overdose.

Access To Addiction Treatment

Disparities in access to addiction treatment services can affect the likelihood of a teen seeking help for a drug problem, and their risk for fatal drug overdose.

Adolescents from underserved communities, including poor communities and communities of color, are less likely to have access to substance use disorder treatment.

Learn about resources for teen substance abuse treatment.

Contaminated Drug Supply And Counterfeit Pills

Healthcare providers and harm reduction advocates nationwide are warning that fentanyl is now found in a wide range of illegal drugs.

Counterfeit prescription pills like fake oxycodone, Xanax, Adderall, and similar tablets are now the primary driver of teen overdose deaths. In 2023, the DEA found that seven out of every ten counterfeit opioid pills contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.

Most adolescent fentanyl deaths are accidental. Teens often believe they are taking a prescription medication, not fentanyl. Approximately 67% of adolescent overdose deaths had a bystander present who could have intervened, but naloxone was administered in fewer than half of those cases.

Social Media And Teen Drug Purchasing

Teens are increasingly obtaining drugs through social media platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok, where counterfeit pills are advertised and sold. The National Crime Prevention Council estimates that approximately 8 in 10 teen and young adult fentanyl overdose deaths are associated with a social media contact.

Multiple states have passed legislation targeting online drug sales, and federal efforts to increase the regulation of social media platforms are ongoing.

What Are The Risk Factors For Fatal Overdose?

Data shows that certain factors can predict a higher risk of fentanyl overdose.

Risk factors for fentanyl overdose death include:

• illicit drug use
• mixing drugs
• taking high doses of drugs
• injecting drugs
• having a mental health disorder
• using opioids after a period of abstinence

Fentanyl Overdose Prevention For Teens

The only surefire ways to prevent a fentanyl overdose are to:

• Avoid use of prescription fentanyl
• Avoid using drugs bought through the black market

There are other tips for preventing overdose commonly recommended by harm reduction advocates and addiction experts.

Tips for opioid overdose death prevention include:

• Don’t use drugs alone.
• Don’t use drugs from an unfamiliar source.
• Keep naloxone (Narcan) on-hand if you use illicit drugs. Naloxone nasal spray is available over-the-counter without a prescription at most pharmacies.
• Know the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose.
• Do not mix drugs (e.g. opioids with benzos, alcohol, or stimulants).
• Use fentanyl test strips to test illicit drugs for the presence of fentanyl.
• Seek help for drug abuse/drug addiction.

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports also recommends that people who use illicit drugs create a safety plan.

If you suspect someone has overdosed, call 911 for emergency medical attention right away.

Find Addiction Treatment Today

Browse our directory or reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for more information about addiction recovery.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff