Synthetics Opioids Leading Cause of US Overdose Deaths

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says America’s leading cause of overdose deaths is synthetic opioids, mostly fentanyl, which can be up to 50 times stronger than heroin. U.S. law enforcement says illicit fentanyl is cheaply made from chemicals mostly coming from China, trafficked through Mexico, and then smuggled into the United States. From Seattle, VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya looks at fentanyl in the state of Washington in a series of stories that starts with one teenager’s overdose.