Illicit Fentanyl Combined with Other Substances in Ciudad Juárez: Witnesses Describe Individuals as "Anesthetized, Like Zombies"
In Ciudad Juárez, the border city, five young individuals have tragically lost their lives due to an overdose of fentanyl, a potentially lethal synthetic opioid. The incident has alarmed the populace and underscores the growing concern of fentanyl no longer merely passing through the city.
Gregorio Sáenz, an addiction counselor and director of a rehabilitation center in the region, spoke about this escalating issue in an interview. He has observed an increased number of individuals consuming crystal methamphetamine and adding fentanyl to enhance its impact. The consumption of both drugs, while not widespread, has the potential to precipitate an addiction crisis due to the combined drug's potent and severe effects.
According to Sáenz, users in the area can become anesthetized, acting like zombies, devoid of hunger, libido, and restlessness. The patients who consume crystal with fentanyl, often from nearby sources, are either selling, consuming, or associating with someone involved in the drug trade.
Crystal, once limited to marginalized areas, is now being sold throughout the city, making rehabilitation more challenging due to the extensive damage caused by these substances. Despite the identified trend, fentanyl is yet to be considered a significant health or addiction Problem, with limited cases identified among Ciudad Juárez's addiction treatment providers.
On May 16, 2022, forensic authorities in the Northeast Zone of Ciudad Juárez confirmed that five young people in the Oasis Revolución neighborhood, aged between 21 and 23, died from fentanyl overdose. Toxicological analyses revealed traces of cocaine in their bodies, suggesting a combination of both drugs in their fatal overdose.
While the number of fentanyl addicts in Chihuahua is still small, rehabilitation centers have begun seeing patients addicted to fentanyl, particularly in Ciudad Juárez. In 2024, two such admissions were recorded, a 31-year-old man in Cuauhtemoc and a 22-year-old woman in Ciudad Juárez. The majority of admissions that year were for primary drug use other than fentanyl. No admissions related to fentanyl were registered in 2025.
Fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin, is a growing concern for authorities due to its high toxicity and potential for accidental overdoses. To combat this issue, joint operations between the three levels of government are working to seize fentanyl and raise awareness about its risks in Ciudad Juárez.
References:
- Texas Department of State Health Services
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- The tragic deaths of five young individuals in Ciudad Juárez due to fentanyl overdose has sparked growing concern in the field of mental health and general news.
- In an interview, Gregorio Sáenz, an addiction counselor, addressed the increasing issue of crystal methamphetamine use, which is sometimes laced with fentanyl, leading to potentially harmful consequences in the realm of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise.
- News about car-accidents and crime-and-justice took a backseat as the alarming trend of fentanyl use in Ciudad Juárez became a topic of interest, highlighting the possible development of an addiction crisis in the city.
- As fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, continues to be a growing concern for authorities, both local and national, efforts in science and forensic analysis are underway to seize illicit fentanyl and educate the public about its risks, a critical step towards the broader goal of improving the health and well-being of the city's residents.
