Fentanyl-related deaths are becoming much more common, and some experts suspect the problem has gotten worse during the pandemic.The drug is a synthetic opioid often used in counterfeit drugs. When produced illegally and outside of a pharmacy, it's impossible to assure quality control and ingesting one can have deadly consequences.| WATCH | KCRA 3 Investigates special report: Fighting fentanylFentanyl is now the No. 1 killer of adults aged 18 to 45 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can poison and potentially kill a person, making it the most potent and one of the most dangerous drugs on the market.Some district attorneys in California have said they would seek harsher punishments for those dealing the drug. In February, the Placer County District Attorney’s Office announced that a 20-year-old man would face murder charges in a fentanyl-related death. Take a look at the map below to find more information from the California Department of Public Health on fentanyl-related deaths in the state for 2020 and its outsized impact on younger people. KCRA 3 is airing a special about the epidemic of fentanyl-related deaths across Northern California Thursday at 7 p.m. We'll look at how the conversation has evolved over the past year, the education and outreach in schools and the effort to change California laws. We'll also hear from teens who say the problem is bigger and runs deeper than you might think. Watch the special report here.