By Rosalio Ahumada
The Sacramento Bee
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — Sacramento County has experienced a sharp decline in the number of people who died after ingesting fentanyl, the deadly synthetic opioid that has gained a lot of attention nationwide as fatalities climbed.
In recent years, authorities have responded with enforcement tactics to curb fentanyl dealing and trafficking as drug awareness campaigns have worked to warn people of the lethality that comes with just a small dose of the narcotic.
Through Tuesday, 186 people this year in Sacramento County have died from fentanyl, according to the Coroner’s Office. There were more than twice that amount, 404 fentanyl deaths, in all of last year.
The number of fentanyl deaths in the county dramatically increased in the previous six years: 17 reported deaths in 2018; 33 in 2019, 108 in 2020; 215 in 2021; and 231 in 2022.
Lori Miller, Behavioral Health Division manager for the county’s Department of Health Services, said the decline of more than 50% in the number of fentanyl deaths is the result of coordinated efforts by local law enforcement, first responders, health care providers and community groups that “are saving lives.”
“This reduction isn’t necessarily due to fewer people using fentanyl, but rather a direct result of the comprehensive support systems we’ve implemented,” Miller said in a county news release.
Two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
DEA ‘Facts about Fentanyl’
Drug dealers mix fentanyl, because of its potency and low cost, with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, which increases the likelihood of a fatal dose, according to the DEA. It’s possible for someone to take a pill without knowing it contains fentanyl or whether it contains a lethal dose of fentanyl.
High-profile criminal cases have involved evidence showing young people using their social media accounts, such as Snapchat, to sell or and find fentanyl to buy. Fentanyl can be sold as pills, some online dealers claiming the pills are Xanax, Percocet and Oxycodone. Fentanyl also can come in powder and vape pens.
Law enforcement agencies in the county conducted enforcement that led to arrests and the seizure of fentanyl supplies.
In October, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office announced narcotics investigators arrested a man driving a vehicle with three large bags allegedly containing more than 66 pounds of fentanyl pills. The investigators found and confiscated 330,000 pills.
The fentanyl bust near the Sacramento International Airport was prompted by a traffic stop conducted by a sheriff’s detective and a California Highway Patrol officer working the area as part of the Domestic Highway Enforcement and Regional Enforcement of All Crimes Team, which is part of the federal High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program.
A DEA analysis found that counterfeit pills have .02 to 5.1 milligrams of fentanyl per tablet; 42% of pills tested for fentanyl contained at least 2 milligrams of fentanyl, according to the federal law enforcement agency’s “Facts about Fentanyl” web page.
Assuming that each of the confiscated 330,000 pills contained 5.1 milligrams, a review by The Sacramento Bee determined that the pills seized in the October traffic stop could produce a maximum of 841,000 lethal doses.
In September, Sheriff Jim Cooper announced his deputies had confiscated 500 grams of fentanyl that newly arrested inmates tried to smuggle into his two jail facilities this year. He said the confiscated fentanyl at the jails was enough to kill everyone living in Elk Grove, which is correct depending on who is ingesting the drug.
An undercover operation dubbed “Folsom Blues” targeted the distribution of fentanyl and drugs in early November and resulted in 15 arrests throughout the Sacramento region. The Folsom Police Department led the operation over two days seeking street-level drug dealers who sell narcotics online. Investigators created undercover online accounts to arrange drug deals.
Narcan and fentanyl test strips
County officials said medics from the Sacramento Fire Department and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District have administered Narcan and provided medication-assisted treatment to people suffering from a suspected opioid overdose. Naloxone, commonly known by its brand name Narcan, is a nasal spray medication that can be administered to restore breathing to those suffering opiate overdoses.
The county’s Department of Child, Family and Adult Services and Sacramento County Public Health, have raised awareness about the dangers of fentanyl through education and distributing Narcan and fentanyl test strips.
The county’s Adult Correctional Health Services has expanded access to medication-assisted treatment in jails, and community-based organizations continue to provide prevention education, treatment options and harm reduction resources.
“By working together, we’ve built a robust system of care and support that is not only addressing substance use but also providing people with the tools they need to survive and recover,” Miller said in the news release.
County officials said they’re encouraged by the declining trend in fentanyl deaths, but they’re also cautious over the holiday season at the end of year — a time can be challenging for people struggling with mental health and substance use disorders.
Those in need of help dealing with substance abuse, need access to Narcan and fentanyl test strips or want to know more about the county’s collaborative efforts can visit the web page for the Department of Health Services Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Services.
If you or someone you know is suffering from a substance abuse addiction, you can reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration’s National Helpline at 800-662-4357 or visit findtreatment.gov.
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