Fentanyl drug deaths rise by nearly a third in England and Wales
Fatalities linked to synthetic opioid increased by 29% in a year, according to ONS figures.
Deaths caused by the drug fentanyl rose by nearly 30% last year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.
Fentanyl has been found mixed with street heroin, causing accidental overdose in users. The drug can be up to 100 times stronger than heroin and is sometimes prescribed as a painkiller for the terminally ill.
One type of fentanyl, carfentanyl, is 10,000 times stronger and is used as an elephant tranquilliser.
