Top Local Drug Threat: Fentanyl
Drug Poisonings are a leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC estimates that over 110,000 people in the U.S. died from drug overdoses in 2022, almost 70% of these deaths were caused by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
Like most states across the country, the State of Washington has not been immune to the alarming increase in the availability of fentanyl and overdoses. In Washington, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) records show that from 2019 to 2022 the amount of fentanyl seized by the DEA in Washington increased by 1670%. In 2022, the DEA Seattle Field Division seized twice as much fentanyl in Washington as was seized in 2021.
Along with the increase in seizures throughout the state, Washington experienced the associated increase in overdose deaths due to the availability and lethality of these counterfeit fentanyl pills. According to the Washington Department of Health (DOH), there were 805 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the first three quarters of 2021 compared to 653 during the entire year of 2020.
Spokane's Fentanyl Problem
The City of Spokane is the second largest city in Washington State. Due to its location on I-90 and proximity to Canada, it’s a central hub for narcotics distributed throughout Eastern Washington and other States to the east to include Idaho and Montana. Opioids (illicit fentanyl and heroin) and prescription drugs are among the top regional drug threats in Washington.
According to the NW Region Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Division of Drug Enforcement, there are three Indian Reservations (Kalispell Tribe, Spokane Tribe and Colville Tribe) in close proximity to Spokane and all three reservations are experiencing an alarming increase in fentanyl seizures as well as overdose deaths linked to fentanyl.
