Shocking Surge: Fentanyl Emergencies Skyrocket to 518 in Just One Year

Between 2019 and 2023, the number of medical treatments required due to fentanyl use skyrocketed from 25 to 518, according to the 2024 Report on the State of Mental Health and Substance Use in Mexico. This report, compiled by the Mexican Observatory of Mental Health and Addictions, under the National Commission of Mental Health and Addictions, reveals a steady increase in fentanyl-related incidents. There were 10 cases in 2018, 25 in 2019, 72 in 2020, 184 in 2021, 333 in 2022, and 518 in 2023. The majority of these cases in 2023 were reported in Baja California, Sonora, Sinaloa, and Chihuahua.

The report highlights the growing prevalence of fentanyl, particularly in the north of the country. From 2019 to 2023, fentanyl ranked fourth in drug seizures, with 7,689.8 kilograms confiscated. This was surpassed by cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine seizures, which totaled 182,452.9, 722,659, and 423,441.2 kilograms respectively in 2023. The report also notes that fentanyl seizures peaked in 2022, with authorities confiscating 2,086 kilograms.

The report criticizes the federal administration for not investing more effort into identifying the extent of fentanyl use in the country. As the legislator quoted in the report states, without accurate measurement, it will be increasingly difficult to address this growing problem. The report also predicts a continued rise in fentanyl use due to the drug's highly addictive nature.

Security specialist Eunice Rendón attributes the high levels of fentanyl use in the north of the country to its proximity to the United States and the drug's potency, which is 50 times greater than heroin. She explains that fentanyl is often used to cut other drugs, making them cheaper and more profitable for drug cartels. This results in individuals unknowingly consuming the drug. Despite the growing problem, Rendón believes that fentanyl use in Mexico is unlikely to reach the same levels as in the United States, where opioid addiction has been a longstanding issue.