Major increase in nonfatal fentanyl exposure among U.S. children over the past decade, study finds

Cases of fentanyl poisoning in children across the U.S. has been steadily increasing for most of the past decade, according to a new study published Friday.

Researchers looked at over 3,000 incidents of nonfatal fentanyl exposure in children up to 19 years old that were reported to poison centers, and found a 1,194.2% increase between 2015 and 2023, according to the study published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 

The exposures were categorized as either misuse or abuse, or as unintentional. During the studied period, the percentage of misuse or drug abuse cases increased from 26.1% to 39.2%, while there was a decrease in unintentional exposures, from 47.8% to 35.4%.