Synthetic Opioid Carfentanil Deaths Surge Sevenfold in a Year, CDC Says

Carfentanil, which is 100 times stronger than fentanyl, is a threat to first responders and law enforcement personnel who touch it by accident.

A sample of carfentanil is being analyzed at the DEA's Special Testing and Research Laboratory in Sterling, Va., on Oct. 21, 2016. Russell Baer/U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration via AP

Carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times stronger than fentanyl, has made a deadly resurgence in America, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC revealed in a report on Thursday that carfentanil-related overdose deaths have increased nearly sevenfold in just one year.