evidence: What parents and kids need to know about fentanyl In August each year National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day is marked in the United States. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid typically used to treat people in medical settings. Illicit fentanyl is being manufactured in foreign labs and smuggled into the United States, often through Mexico. Because there is no official oversight of quality control, these counterfeit pills often contain lethal doses of fentanyl. In 2023, more than 70,000 Americans died from overdoses connected to illegally made fentanyl. Fentanyl is now found in fake pills, many street drugs, and users are often unaware that the drug they bought contains the extremely potent opioid. As students head back to school, we asked Acting United States Attorney Matt Kirsch what he wants kids and parents to know about fentanyl.