Numbers reveal death toll from the fentanyl crisis is rising in Stanislaus County
Newly released numbers show the fentanyl crisis is responsible for a sharp increase in drug overdose deaths in Stanislaus County.
County public health has counted 229 deaths involving illegal fentanyl since 2020, when drug addiction counselors noticed that fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills were harming or killing people in Modesto.
The COVID-19 pandemic stole most of the attention away from the emerging fentanyl crisis. But the odorless and tasteless drug has taken its own toll in the past three years.
Fentanyl was the biggest factor in skyrocketing overdose deaths countywide since 2020. There were 132 overdose deaths in 2020, including 60 due to fentanyl, a 59% increase over the previous year. Stanislaus County had 176 fatal drug overdoses in 2021, including 95 attributed to fentanyl.
The county’s public health epidemiology team provided the data to the county’s Opioid Safety Coalition, which educates the public about opioid addiction and the fentanyl crisis.
Fentanyl was responsible for 77% of the opioid overdose deaths last year, according to the county data.
The county has a preliminary count of 74 fentanyl deaths this year, causing concern the end-of-year total will exceed 2021.
Dr. Bernardo Mora, medical director of county Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, said the county’s Opioid Safety Coalition has taken to using the term “overdose and poisoning” deaths because fentanyl victims usually don’t know they are taking the dangerous drug.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, was developed as a pain medication for patients after surgery, but cartels are using it to bring down the cost of manufacturing illegal drugs.
Authorities say fake prescription pills containing illegal fentanyl are sold on social media and e-commerce sites, which raises the risk that young people might mistakenly purchase the pills and have them delivered.
The inexpensive drug is mixed with heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, and it’s also in counterfeit pills looking like common prescription painkillers or resembling Xanax and Adderall. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. A small amount can be lethal.
Stanislaus County’s Opioid Safety Coalition, a collaboration of county agencies and community organizations, has promoted the message of “One Pill Can Kill” to emphasize the dangers of fentanyl.
“People are dying and do not know they are taking something that is that lethal,” Mora said. “If it’s not a prescription from your doctor, don’t take it.”
Impact on other counties
County staff said comparisons with other counties are difficult because much of the data on fentanyl deaths comes from coroner’s offices. Some deaths may be logged simply as opioid overdoses. There’s a lag time in verifying death reports and delays in toxicology reviews.
In a recent news release, San Joaquin County agencies cited a 30-fold increase in fentanyl deaths from 2019 to 2021. More than half of the victims last year were 14 to 35 years old.
According to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s office, the street names for illegally sold drugs containing fentanyl include Apache, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfellas, Jackpot, Murder 8 and Tango & Cash.
San Francisco had a staggering 477 fentanyl deaths in 2021, out of a total 641 fatal drug overdoses, according to monthly reports from the medical examiner’s office. Political leaders are hoping for a decrease this year, with 277 fentanyl deaths and 391 total overdose deaths reported from January to August.
Sacramento County health services said in an Aug. 30 post that 116 people lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning in 2021 and 50 have died through July of this year. In a previous post, the county said 98% of pills bought on the streets are counterfeit and 98% of counterfeit pills contained fentanyl.
The Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s office recorded 43 single-drug deaths due to fentanyl in 2021, and fentanyl was detected in an additional 28 combined-drug overdose deaths last year.
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
