The Fentanyl Epidemic in North America and the Global Reach of Synthetic Opioids

Over the past two decades, the United States has battled an unprecedented opioid crisis, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl driving overdose deaths to devastating levels. In 2021 alone, more than 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses. After years of grim statistics, overdose rates started declining in 2024. Is the U.S. finally turning a corner on the opioid crisis? How have U.S. domestic and external drug policies evolved? How are synthetic opioids spreading beyond North America and reshaping drug markets and policies worldwide?  

On December 4, join the Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy program for an in-person event to launch the results of a year-long project on synthetic opioids in the United States and abroad. Highlighting the project’s findings and featuring top experts, the event will open with a fireside chat between former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Senior Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown. Subsequent panels will explore U.S. drugs markets, domestic law enforcement, treatment, harm reduction, and decriminalization policies as well as the international dimensions of synthetic opioids and their spread beyond North America.

Participants wishing to join virtually should RSVP to watch the webcast.