In a new study using a novel method of analysis to examine one-dollar bills collected from 13 cities across the U.S., fentanyl, a potent opioid, was detected on 63% of the bills. The research sheds light on the widespread presence of this dangerous substance in everyday transactions.
Matthew P. Hewes, a 2023 graduate of Jefferson’s forensic toxicology master’s program and first author of the study, observed that, in addition to fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine were even more prevalent, found on virtually all bills in significant amounts.
The risk of someone experiencing toxicological or pharmacological effects from handling contaminated currency is low for the general population, reassures Alex J. Krotulski, PhD, senior author of the study and forensic toxicology researcher.
However, the study found that regions with higher fentanyl use had higher rates of contaminated bills. Dr. Krotulski believes this insight suggests that analyzing currency could serve as a valuable tool for tracking drug trends on a regional and national scale, providing timely information to public health organizations and law enforcement agencies.
“Currently, most of the data we get about drug trends comes from police seizures, and that data is sometimes backlogged for almost a year,” Dr. Krotulski explains. “This is an alternate path to get insights faster.”
