Final answer:
Pharmaceutical companies continuously invest in the development of synthetic and natural compound-based drugs. These drugs must pass strict regulations to reach market. Meanwhile, illegal synthetic drugs, often cheaper alternatives to prescription pain pills, have seen a rise in recent years.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of synthetic drugs on the market is fluid and constantly evolving due to new developments and legislations. Balancing between ethical responsibility, legal regulations by bodies like the Food and Drug Administration, and commercial interests, pharmaceutical companies invest heavily in research and development of new drugs, both synthetic and natural compound-based. To avoid breaching laws, companies spend significant time and resources on rigorous testing and trials before their drugs can be certified for market release.
Meanwhile, there exists a dark side to the synthetic drug market, where illegal substances such as Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are being produced by crime syndicates. This side of the synthetic drug trade has seen a rise in recent years due to the scarcity and high price of prescription pain pills, leading to a rise in drug overdoses.
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