KRON 4: Santa Clara County Raises Awareness Over Alarming Rise in Fentanyl-Related Deaths

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — As fentanyl-related deaths continue to increase nationwide, Santa Clara County is joining other states to raise awareness of the poisonous drug for the first-ever National Fentantly Awareness Day.

According to public health officials, Illegally made fentanyl is the primary driver of growing overdose and poisoning deaths among 14- to 23-year-olds. In Santa Clara County, officials are growing concerned over fentanyl-related deaths as overdoses rose from 29 in 2019 to 90 in 2020 and 135 in 2021.