But...COVID!!! CDC data shows Fentanyl overdoses now leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45

ZACHARY ROGERS | ABC NEWS

WASHINGTON — The number one killer of Americans aged 18 to 45 is now fentanyl overdoses, with nearly 79,000 people in the age range dying to them between 2020 and 2021, according to newly released data."Families Against Fentanyl," an opioid awareness organization, analyzed the data from U.S. government sources and found 37,208 died in 2020 and 41,587 died in 2021. Comparatively, data says COVID-19 killed more than 53,000 in the demographic in the same time period.

Fentanyl overdoses reportedly surpassed suicide, COVID-19, and car accidents as the leading cause of death for the demographic.

"This is a national emergency. America’s young adults — thousands of unsuspecting Americans — are being poisoned," the founder of Families Against Fentanyl, James Rauh, said according to Fox News. "It is widely known that illicit fentanyl is driving the massive spike in drug-related deaths. A new approach to this catastrophe is needed."

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, both Mexico and China are the primary sources for fentanyl flowing into America. The DEA says India is becoming more and more of a source for fentanyl supply in the United States.

Fentanyl deaths in America across all age groups doubled from 32,754 fatalities to 64,178 fatalities in just two years between April 2019 and April 2021, according to the data, Families Against Fentanyl says.

Experts reportedly believe the impact of the coronavirus pandemic has correlated to the increase of fentanyl overdoses.

Families Against Fentanyl wants lawmakers to designate the drug as a "weapon of mass destruction" saying doing so could "save lives".

A WMD designation can empower the US to shift from a policy of mass incarceration of Americans with substance use disorder and low level drug dealers to an all [out] government approach to stop the flow of this poison into our country and stop the poisoning of our people," said Families Against Fentanyl in its Twitter thread.

The Court Jester