# Deadlier fentanyl variants spread nationwide

> Federal officials warn three fentanyl analogues tied to thousands of deaths have now reached every U.S. region.
- Title: Deadlier fentanyl variants spread nationwide · Dallas Express
- Summary: Federal officials warn three fentanyl analogues tied to thousands of deaths have now reached every U.S. region. Even as overdose deaths fall, more potent…
- Keywords: fentanyl, opioids, overdose, public health, drug policy, news, politics, Deadlier, variants, spread, nationwide, Dallas Express
- Source: Dallas Express — https://dallasexpress.com/national/up-to-100-times-more-potent-deadlier-fentanyl-variants-spread-across-u-s
- Author: Dallas Express
- Published: 2026-09-15T21:45:53+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: fentanyl, opioids, overdose, public health, drug policy, news, politics
## A sharper fentanyl threat
Federal officials warned that carfentanil, fluorofentanyl and methylfentanyl have been linked to at least 12,500 deaths since 2023.

> the nation’s greatest current threat from fentanyl analogues
## Variants reached every region
Federal lab testing found all three analogues in every U.S. region during 2025. Carfentanil samples rose 206%, while methylfentanyl samples rose 297%.
## Texas is not spared
ONDCP detected carfentanil in Texas wastewater in 2026. Federal labs also recorded methylfentanyl samples submitted from Texas in 2025.
## Pills can hide them
Officials say traffickers put these substances in counterfeit prescription pills or mix them into cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.

> any illicit drug can contain synthetic opioids
## Tests may miss carfentanil
Standard hospital opioid urine screens do not detect fentanyl analogues. Some fentanyl screens may catch fluorofentanyl or methylfentanyl, but not carfentanil.
## Deaths are still falling
The warning comes as overdose deaths decline. U.S. drug overdose deaths fell nearly 14% in 2025, while deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone fell 22%.
## Key takeaway

Even as overdose deaths fall, more potent fentanyl variants are spreading, and standard tests may miss some of them.