Indiana Faces Surge in Deadly Drug 100 Times Stronger Than Fentanyl

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana health officials are warning of a dangerous surge in carfentanil, a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times stronger than morphine, now increasingly found in street drugs across the state.

“All of these drugs are just cut with these poisons,” said Hamilton County Coroner Jeff Jellison, who described today’s drug supply as the most hazardous he’s ever seen.

According to the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), positive tests for carfentanil from syringe exchange programs and fatal overdose toxicology reports have spiked. The state saw just one positive test in 2022, eight in 2023, and has already recorded 26 carfentanil detections in fatal overdoses so far this year, surpassing last year’s total of 24. Officials say Indiana could double last year’s count by the end of 2025.

Carfentanil, originally used by veterinarians as an elephant tranquilizer, is now showing up in heroin, meth, cocaine, and counterfeit pills such as fake oxycodone, Xanax, and Adderall. Retired DEA agent Mike Gannon explained traffickers use it to increase potency, profits, and addiction risks, often sourcing it from China through Mexico before it enters the U.S.

“By the time a drug gets to our area in Indiana, you don’t know how many times it’s exchanged hands… and each time, you risk someone adding synthetic opioids,” Gannon said.

Despite a statewide decline in overall overdose deaths, officials say the carfentanil trend is alarming. They urge families to keep Narcan on hand, know how to use it, and intervene early if a loved one is using illegal drugs.

“I’d rather have that person sitting in a jail cell than on my autopsy table,” Jellison said. “To family members: reach out and get them some help.”

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