Rise in Opioid Overdose Deaths in Ohio Linked With Fentanyl and Carfentanil

An increase in law enforcement seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil corresponds with a rise in overdose deaths in Ohio, according to UPI.

According to findings published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there were more than 15,000 deaths resulting from opioid overdoses in Ohio from 2014 to 2017. Of the 29,917 heroin seizures by law enforcement during this period, the percentage containing fentanyl or carfentanil rose from 3.4% in 2014 to 48.6% in 2017.

Among 18,276 cocaine seizures by law enforcement in 2017, 7.1% contained
fentanyl or carfentanil.

“These findings underscore the importance of partnerships between public health and public safety to address the opioid overdose epidemic,” the authors wrote. “Active data sharing between law enforcement and public health agencies can facilitate timely, actionable data to identify fentanyl hot spots and coordinate rapid responses that could limit overdose mortality.”