The synthetic opioid Fentanyl is killing more Americans than ever before

Synthetic opioids are killing a skyrocketing number of people in the US, and the cause for the surging death rates is likely the growing trade in illegally manufactured fentanyl, according to new research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With more people dying of fentanyl overdoses now than ever before, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), figuring out where that fentanyl is coming from will be critical to keeping people safe.

Fentanyl, which made headlines when Prince overdosed on it in April, is a lab-created synthetic opioid that’s 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. Doctors prescribe it as an injection, patch, lollipop, or nasal spray for patients with severe pain that can’t be treated with...