Opioid Fact Sheet
Essential, current information on opioids for prevention professionals and community partners in Connecticut.
What are opioids?
Opioids are a class of natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic drugs that include both prescription pain medications and illegal drugs like heroin. They bind to opioid receptors in the brain and body, reducing pain and affecting areas that control emotion, which can create euphoria and, at higher doses, dangerously slow breathing.
Prescription opioids
- Hydrocodone (Vicodin®)
- Oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet®)
- Morphine (Kadian®, Avinza®)
- Codeine, often in combination products
- Fentanyl patches for medical use
Illicit & synthetic opioids
- Heroin
- Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF), often mixed into other drugs
- Fentanyl analogs such as carfentanil, roughly 100 times stronger than fentanyl
- Novel synthetic opioids (nitazenes)
Common street names
Prescription: Oxy, Percs, Vikes, Happy Pills. Heroin: Big H, Horse, Brown Sugar, Smack. Fentanyl: Apache, China White, Dance Fever.
The picture in Connecticut
Connecticut is now in a multi-year decline, though the supply is more potent and more contaminated than ever. Figures are from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) (report updated May 2026); see the live CT overdose dashboard for the newest data.1
- 989 confirmed overdose deaths in 2024, a 26% decrease from 1,338 in 2023, a third straight year of decline.1
- In 2024, 75.9% of deaths involved fentanyl and 34.7% involved xylazine, its highest share on record.1
- Final 2025 data show 836 deaths, a 15.5% decrease from 2024, with fentanyl at 69.1% (578 deaths), its lowest share since 2020, and xylazine at 13.2% (110 deaths).1
- Cocaine remains common, involved in 59.7% of 2024 deaths and 58.6% of 2025 deaths.1
- 181 deaths were confirmed through April 2026, with more cases still pending.1
Emerging threats to watch
Even as fentanyl and xylazine decline, more potent additions are rising. Carfentanil (about 100x fentanyl) was involved in 31 deaths in 2025, up from 10 in 2024, and designer benzodiazepines such as bromazolam reached 42. Medetomidine, another veterinary sedative, was involved in 6 deaths. Cases from 2026 are still being confirmed; see the dashboard.1
Rates fell across every group in 2024 but remain highest among the non-Hispanic Black population (46.4 per 100,000), males, and ages 35 to 64, and in Southeastern, South Central, and Hartford County. Nationally, about 7.1 million Americans misused opioids in the past year and roughly 4 million had opioid use disorder (OUD), with illicitly manufactured fentanyl the primary driver of overdose deaths, per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).2
What makes opioids dangerous
Extreme potency, an unpredictable illicit supply, and a high potential for dependence or addiction combine to make today's opioids especially dangerous.
- Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and as little as 2 mg (about the size of a few grains of salt) can be lethal.
- Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is often mixed into heroin, cocaine, and counterfeit pills without the user's knowledge.
- Tolerance builds quickly, pushing people toward larger, riskier doses.
| Substance | Potency vs. morphine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Morphine | 1x | Baseline reference |
| Heroin | 2 to 5x | |
| Fentanyl | 50 to 100x | About 2 mg can be lethal |
| Carfentanil | 10,000x | Not for human use |
Counterfeit pills: one pill can kill
Illegally made pills can look identical to real prescriptions but often contain fentanyl. There is no way to know by looking. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that about 2 in 5 fake pills carry a potentially lethal dose.4
Xylazine, the sedative known as tranq
Xylazine is a veterinary sedative found mixed with fentanyl in the illicit supply. It was involved in 34.7% of CT overdose deaths in 2024 (its highest share on record), though 2025 data show a sharp drop to 13.2%, or 110 deaths. Because it is not an opioid, naloxone does not reverse its effects, though you should still give naloxone for the opioid component and always call 911.6
- Causes heavy sedation and dangerously slowed breathing, compounding fentanyl's effects.
- Associated with severe, slow-healing skin wounds that can occur anywhere on the body.
- There is no approved reversal agent, so supportive care and 911 are essential.
Treatment & recovery
Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are the gold-standard, evidence-based treatment and reduce the risk of death by about half. When combined with counseling and peer support, they facilitate long-term recovery (SAMHSA).7
Methadone
Buprenorphine (Suboxone®)
Naltrexone (Vivitrol®)
What these terms mean
An agonist activates opioid receptors (methadone fully, buprenorphine partially) to ease cravings and withdrawal, while an antagonist (naltrexone) blocks those receptors so opioids have no effect.
Naloxone saves lives
Naloxone rapidly reverses an opioid overdose, is now available over the counter and free through the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and its Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs), and causes no harm even if no opioids are present. With fentanyl, more than one dose may be needed. MOUD is also safe and effective during pregnancy.7
Key messages for prevention professionals
Progress is real
Fentanyl leads, threats evolve
Naloxone and person-first care
🚨 Overdose Response, Every Minute Counts
If you suspect an opioid overdose, act immediately. Connecticut's Good Samaritan Law protects those who call for help.
Call first
Report a suspected overdose and stay until help arrives.
Give naloxone
Use it right away and repeat every 2 to 3 minutes if there is no response.
Support breathing
Give rescue breaths and place the person in the recovery position.
Signs of an opioid overdose
- Pinpoint (tiny) pupils
- Unresponsive or unconscious
- Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
- Choking or gurgling (the “death rattle”)
- Blue or gray lips, nails, or skin
- Limp body
Connecticut's Good Samaritan Law protects people who call 911 in good faith and anyone giving naloxone with reasonable care. Note that xylazine and carfentanil may resist naloxone, so still give it and always call 911.6
Connecticut & national resources
CT 24/7 Access Line
Referrals to detox and medication-assisted treatment. Call 1-800-563-4086.
portal.ct.gov/dmhasCT Overdose Data Dashboard
Live CT overdose data from DPH, 2015 to present.
public.tableau.com (CT DPH)SAMHSA National Helpline
Free 24/7 treatment referral. 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
samhsa.gov/find-helpNIDA: Fentanyl
Facts on fentanyl and MOUD from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
nida.nih.govTTASC Online Learning
On-demand courses from the Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Service Center (TTASC).
preventiontrainingcenter.orgSources & further reading
Developed by TTASC in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services. For education only, and not a substitute for professional medical advice.