A Bronx Democrat in Congress wants answers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about the spread of a synthetic opioid estimated to be up to 100 times stronger than fentanyl. 

In a letter to the director of the CDC obtained first by NY1, Rep. Ritchie Torres raised concerns about the presence of the potent compound carfentanil in New York City, including in his home borough.

What You Need To Know

  • The synthetic opioid carfentanil is estimated to be up to 100 times stronger than fentanyl

  • Rep. Ritchie Torres is raising concerns about the presence of the potent compound in New York City, including in his home borough

  • In the first half of 2024, carfentanil was involved in at least seven unintentional drug overdose deaths

“The spread of carfentanil, even in the smallest quantities, would make the deadliest drug crisis far deadlier — by orders of magnitude,” Torres wrote in the letter. “Carfentanil is 10,000 times more potent than morphine; 5,000 times more potent than heroin; and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.”

Last month, the New York City Department of Health announced that in the first half of 2024, carfentanil was involved in at least seven unintentional drug overdose deaths. That is compared to three deaths in 2023.

Between March and June of this year, the health department found traces of the drug in eight samples sold as opioids as part of its regular drug-checking program.

In his letter, Torres requested the CDC provide details about how the agency is working to monitor the spread of carfentanil, how many deaths it has caused nationally, and what steps are being taken to develop technology capable of detecting the drug.

“Carfentanil is so dangerous, destructive, and deadly that the CDC must never allow it to evade public health surveillance,” Torres said.