Synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanyl are exceptionally potent. Their inclusion in the heroin supply dramatically increased the danger to users, as even a very small quantity of these substances can be enough to trigger a fatal overdose.

High Potency and Overdose Risk of Synthetic Opioids

A public health report notes a paradoxical trend in a city's illicit drug market: the average street price for a dose of what is sold as heroin has decreased, yet the rate of fatal overdoses among its users has dramatically increased. Which of the following provides the most logical explanation for this combination of market and health outcomes?

Based on the provided scenario, what is the most likely pharmacological reason for the simultaneous decrease in price and increase in fatal overdoses? Explain your reasoning.

Analyzing an Overdose Epidemic

To maintain affordability and enhance the drug's effects, heroin dealers began mixing it with more powerful synthetic opioids. Common additives included fentanyl and carfentanyl, which significantly increased the potency of the heroin being sold.

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Faced with the inability to get legal prescriptions and the prohibitive cost of opioids on the black market, many individuals addicted to prescription painkillers turned to heroin. Heroin offered a much cheaper alternative, costing as little as \$5 per dose, which allowed users to manage their withdrawal symptoms.

Shift from Prescription Opioids to Heroin

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

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