A study recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, authored by NDEWS Deputy Director, Dr. Joseph Palamar, examined data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The results showed that while the prevalence of illicitly manufactured fentanyl use is rare in the general US population, past-year (mis)use of other drugs was not consistently associated with illicitly manufactured fentanyl use. Cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and prescription opioid use disorder, however, were associated with higher odds of illicitly manufactured fentanyl use, suggesting that more severe use of various drugs is more of a risk factor than use. Read the study here.