Denver Health Officials Warn About Increase In Deadly Overdoses Linked To Fentanyl

By L.A. Sklba

DENVER (CBS4)- Denver public health officials are warning residents about a recent increase in deadly overdoses, specifically those linked to fentanyl, and a quickly changing drug supply.

Provisional data from 2021 indicates that fentanyl is present in nearly 50% of all accidental drug-related deaths in Denver, according to the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.

In a news release, DDPHE said from 2020 to 2021, fentanyl-involved deaths have increased by 41%, from 159 to 222. In that same time frame, deadly overdoses increased by 22%.

Fentanyl is an opioid known for its potency. It can be up to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times more potent than morphine, according to DDPHE.

In response to this data, DDPHE urged caution around drugs bought from any source other than a pharmacy, as those drugs could contain fentanyl and vary greatly in strength and contents.

"Overdoses caused by fentanyl can happen faster and are harder to stop than those caused by other opioids," DDPHE said.

Public health officials advise anyone who uses substances or knows someone who uses substances to not only share this warning but to also take tangible steps to help prevent deaths.

That includes carrying naloxone with you. It's an FDA-approved medicine to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

You can get naloxone for free from StoptheClockColorado.org.

Denver residents can also get that medicine, along with fentanyl test strips, sent to them for free from the city.

CBS4's Karen Morfitt spoke to Marion Rorke, Substance Use Coordinator for DDPHE, in February about the program that launched in September 2021. When it started, they had about ten requests for supplies a month. Requests spiked to 1,200 after investigators said fentanyl likely caused the deaths of five people in Commerce City.

"We really do this for a lot of reasons. First and foremost is we don't want people to die preventable deaths. Drug overdoses — whether it's opioids or other types — are preventable," she said.

RELATED: Big Denver Drug Bust: Dealer Allegedly Had Nearly 10,000 Fentanyl Pills, 179 Pounds Of Meth

Fentanyl has been found mixed with or in place of oxycodone tablets, cocaine, and heroin in the Denver area, according to DDPHE.

You can find more resources about fentanyl at www.denvergov.org.