34 People Died From Fentanyl Overdoses In King County Last Month

Seattle WA

17 August, 2021

4:07 PM

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KING COUNTY, WA — Almost three dozen King County residents died from drug overdoses linked to fentanyl in July, and more than 200 have died since the year began, officials said Tuesday. With four months left in the year, 2021 is already King County's deadliest year for fentanyl, surpassing the 2020 total of 172 deaths. The concerning trend does not appear to be letting up in August, with 22 probable or confirmed fatal overdoses linked to fentanyl and other drugs between Aug. 4 and Aug. 10. — higher than any other week on record, except for the beginning of the year. When including overdose data across drug types, officials said more than 400 deaths have occurred in 2021, including a steady increase in overdoses involving methamphetamine. Fentanyl, which is a powerful synthetic opioid, is often found in counterfeit pills disguised to look like prescription medications. "Fentanyl pills made to look like prescription opioids are flooding King County," public health officials wrote Tuesday. "Illicit drug manufacturers are producing more and more counterfeit pills and powders with fentanyl, which translates into higher risk of overdose and death — even from just one pill. Pills or powder obtained from a website, a friend, friends of friends or a deal likely contain fentanyl. Every person is different, but two salt-sized grains of fentanyl can be enough to cause an adult to overdose." Public health officials said the rapid increase in overdose deaths is seen across ages and demographics. While most fentanyl-linked deaths continue to be seen among people under 30, they are becoming increasingly common among those 50 and older. To help prevent more tragedies this year, Public Health - Seattle & King County assembled a list of ways to help each other stay safe: Take extra care to check on the people in our lives. Many folks are struggling and may not show it.If you suspect someone you know is using drugs, have naloxone on hand. Fentanyl overdoses can happen very quickly. Naloxone, often called Narcan, can save a life by reversing an opioid overdose. Naloxone is now available at many pharmacies and you can order naloxone online. Visit www.lacedandlethal.com or stopoverdose.org for where to get naloxone near you.Overdoses can turn deadly within moments of consumption – or may take several hours – so know the signs of overdose. Call 911 if you suspect an overdose – don't wait. Remember that the Good Samaritan Law protects you from possession chargesRecognize that any pill from the street or online is likely counterfeit, and could contain a fatal dose of fentanyl, especially light blue pills marked with a "M" and "30." Talk with young people and families about the risks of pill use. Tell people in your life that buying pills online, from friends, friends of friends or regular dealers poses a much bigger risk now because of the fentanyl risk.Do not use alone.Avoid mixing substances.Effective treatment options including medications to treat opioid use disorder are available: call 1-866-789 1511 or visit www.warecoveryhelpline.org "We continue to be very concerned about the presence of fentanyl most commonly seen in counterfeit pills," said Brad Finegood, a strategic advisor for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "We have tools available, but we have to be willing to use them, including starting with a non-judgmental conversation with a family member, a friend, in community, and even when it may feel uncomfortable. A first step in addressing ways to reduce overdose risk. A great place to start a conversation is with the Recovery Helpline." King County also shared a graphic Monday to help people recognize the signs of an opioid overdose. (Public Health - Seattle & King County) Beyond the steps residents can take in their personal lives to help prevent death, public health officials are continuing efforts to make treatments more widely available and ensure people have access to overdose reversal drugs. Those actions include: Increasing access to buprenorphine: Buprenorphine, a proven medication to treat opioid use disorder, has been rolled out at hundreds of locations across the county and through mobile medical services.Assisting in providing training to medical providers and getting nearly 100 providers in our community the necessary waivers to allow them to provide buprenorphine.Distributing Naloxone: Public Health has worked with the state and local partners to help distribute over 15,000 Naloxone kits since COVID-19 started. We need to continue to increase naloxone across our community.Providing access to information: King County's fentanyl overdose prevention campaign is called Laced & Lethal. The campaign is designed to reach younger people with information about the risk of buying pills and powders potentially laced with fentanyl. The campaign is now expanding to also reach adults. The Laced and Lethal campaign has led to over 650 naloxone kit orders online and 100,000 engagements with young people on social media about the risk of fentanyl.Public health uses data to target efforts such as naloxone training to reach populations with disproportionate impacts from overdose. These communities include youth of color, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and LGBTQ community members. Read more on the Public Health Insider blog.