(WPRI/NEXSTAR) — The impacts of the opioid epidemic and the rise of synthetic opioids are hard to overstate.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse shows nationwide overdose deaths involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids vastly outpacing all other drug categories for nearly a decade, with a pronounced spike appearing over the past five years.

The chart below shows U.S. overdose deaths by drug category between 1999 and 2022, courtesy of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration now says 70% of illicit drugs seized on the streets are laced with fentanyl. 

But the numbers tell only a small part of the story. In “Saving a Generation: The Fentanyl Crisis,” reporters from Nexstar’s network of television newsrooms explore the real stories of grief and loss, and look at the work being done to save the next generation of children across the country from falling victim to the deadly drug.

In our coverage, grieving parents summon the courage to offer warnings for families who believe the crisis can’t reach them. A reporter goes inside the DEA facility where deadly drugs are pulled off the streets and cataloged for criminal cases. We also look at the tools available to detect the drug circulating on American streets.

Search for “Saving a Generation: The Fentanyl Crisis” in your local listing for showtimes in this area. The full special can also be viewed in the player at the top of this page.