Street Fentanyl Surges In Western U.S., Leading To Thousands Of Deaths
New research shows the use of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl spreading fast in Los Angeles, Phoenix and Seattle. Chinese companies are routing the street drug through cartels in Mexico.
Seven months ago, when Jake got out of jail in Phoenix, he expected to go back to using his drug of choice: heroin. But the street market for illegal opioids had changed.
"I just started smoking [fentanyl] pills because that was the thing that was around; it was so easy to get," he said. NPR is only using Jake's first name because he fears being arrested after talking openly about his addiction.
"Soon as I wake up, I have to have a pill," Jake said. "The high is not very long, so 20 minutes after I smoke a pill, I
