The University of Houston has developed a vaccine to combat fentanyl. The vaccine has had successful trials in mice and rats and they want to conduct human trials soon. The University of Houston states that the vaccine has had no adverse side effects and only targets the compounds of fentanyl in the body. The antibodies in the vaccine hold onto the fentanyl and prevent its effects from reaching the brain. The University of Houston believes this could be an avenue for helping people who are trying to get off opioids, removing the high that one gets from taking them.

Fentanyl has increased the number of overdose deaths in the United States. Around 100,000 people in 2021 died of an overdose and the majority of those numbers were fentanyl-related. In fact, many opioids that people can get outside of a pharmacy, research shows that 6 out of 10 are laced with Fentanyl. 

The cartels are also using fentanyl because it’s cheaper to make and is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The cartels will lace cocaine, opioids, heroin, and other drugs to make cheaper products, more products, fewer labor costs, and thus more money from it. 

Governor Abbott has recently supported the legal use of Narcan, which has been illegal because it was considered drug paraphernalia. But it reverses overdose effects.