Self-taught chemist George Erik Marquardt gave America's opioid epidemic a particularly deadly culprit: a synthetic drug 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin and morphine that's been responsible for poisoning thousands of Americans each year.

The self-made chemist-turned-drug kingpin who would be coined the "godfather of fentanyl," created the street fentanyl to substitute heroin, and it took communities by storm beginning in the 1990s.

"Marquardt really was a real-life Walter White," said Donna Nelson, PhD, who served as a science adviser on the AMC crime drama series "Breaking Bad." Her comparison in the new Fox Nation documentary on Marquardt which released Wednesday alluded to the AMC series' lead character played by actor Bryan Cranston.

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"America Reports" co-anchor John Roberts hosts "The Godfather of Fentanyl" docuseries, taking viewers through Marquardt's life and the dark history of the superdrug he concocted.

"This is the true story of the deadliest clandestine chemist in American history and the birth of the street fentanyl epidemic, as told by the man who created it," Roberts said.

The story's earliest days begin in Marquardt's teens, at the dawn of his experimentation with formulas, but things escalate as he gains recognition for his role as a "serial killer of the drug world" and spends a wealth of his time running from law enforcement.

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To this day, street fentanyl continues to infiltrate communities across the nation and devastate households unfortunate enough to become a victim of its power.

According to statistics from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, approximately 70% of the 110,000 drug-related deaths in America in 2022 were caused by fentanyl or other synthetic opioids.

For Americans aged 18 to 45, fentanyl overdose is the leading cause of death, the DEA stated.

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Marquardt's impact has inspired local, state and federal governments to take action to combat the shocking wave of deaths. Given fentanyl's immense presence, some major U.S. cities have installed vending machines to dispense NARCAN to treat overdoses. 

To learn more about the mastermind behind America's most notorious drug, sign up for Fox Nation and begin streaming "The Godfather of Fentanyl" now.

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