The Drug Enforcement Administration has seen a spike in fentanyl mass-overdose episodes across the country over the past few months. The 7 documented events have involved three or more people each and have resulted in 58 overdoses and 29 overdose deaths. Many of the victims thought they were consuming cocaine or oxycodone and were unaware of the presence of fentanyl.
Overdose events have taken place in Wilton Manors, FL; Austin, TX; Cortez, CO; Commence City, CO; Omaha, NE; St. Louis, MO; and Washington D.C.
Fentanyl is fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic. According to the CDC, over 105k people died of drug overdoses in a 12-month period ending in October 2021. Two-thirds of those overdoses were from fentanyl or other synthetic opioids.
