DEA warns 2026 FIFA World Cup visitors about opioid risk

(AFP) A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official reminded fans attending the 2026 World Cup that drugs sold on the street or online are potentially deadly, as they often contain synthetic opioids.

The United States, which is preparing to co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada between June 11 and July 19, has been facing an increase in overdose deaths for more than a decade.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such deaths increased in the country since the late 2010s to a peak of 108,000 in 2022, of which 73,000 were related to synthetic opioids.

"Almost all of the drugs we seize today contain fentanyl," a potent synthetic opioid repurposed for illicit use, warned Frank Tarentino, DEA's deputy director of operations for the northeastern United States.

In an interview with AFP, he added that "29% of the pills" analyzed contain "a lethal dose of fentanyl", one of the substances associated with the main cause of overdose deaths.

Tarentino "recommends" that the public obtain this drug in pharmacies, as its eventual adverse effects can be reversed with naloxone, an easily administered nasal spray that, however, is ineffective against uncontrolled synthetic substances.

He also advised against the use of "fentanyl test strips" because they lack precision and "generate a false sense of security".