Fentanyl Changed Everything About How Dealers Think

Twisted Alleys Revealing Urban Narcotics Abyss · Jan 18, 2026 · 8m

The introduction of synthetic fentanyl into street-level heroin markets created an unprecedented crisis that fundamentally altered dealer behavior, supply chain economics, and overdose mortality. This episode examines the precise moment when fentanyl began appearing in East Coast heroin supplies around 2013, tracing how a pharmaceutical opioid became the dominant adulterant across all major cities within five years. We interview a Boston-based harm reduction specialist who documents overdose patterns, a forensic toxicologist explaining fentanyl's lethal potency compared to heroin, and a…