Question: What is the relative potency of the drug carfentanyl in relation to morphine and fentanyl?
Answer: A recent DEA “Officer Safety Alert” warns law enforcement personnel that “Carfentanil is a synthetic opioid approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl. The presence of carfentanil in illicit U.S. drug markets is cause for concern, as the relative strength of this drug could lead to an increase in overdoses and overdose-related deaths, even among opioid-tolerant users. The presence of carfentanil poses a significant threat to first responders and law enforcement personnel who may come in contact with this substance. In any situation where any fentanyl-related substance, such as carfentanil, might be present, law enforcement should carefully follow safety protocols to avoid accidental exposure. (https://www.dea.gov/divisions/hq/2016/hq092216_attach.pdf; accessed February 2017)