Fentanyl Amplifies Stimulant Overdoses

CDC 2016 data show synthetic‑opioid deaths doubled while cocaine deaths jumped over 50% the same year, suggesting illicit fentanyl isn't just an opioid problem but a multiplier across stimulant markets and polysubstance fatalities. If IMF contaminates or co‑markets with stimulants, overdose prevention must expand beyond opioid‑only strategies. — Reframes the overdose crisis as a polysubstance supply problem that requires surveillance, harm‑reduction, and policing strategies targeted at fentanyl's cross‑market effects, not only opioid prescribing.