Fentanyl Overdose Deaths Soar 1,280 Percent in LA County Over 5-year Period

Brightly colored counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills. Courtesy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

LOS ANGELES—Overdose deaths attributed to the synthetic opioid fentanyl skyrocketed in Los Angeles County over a five-year period ending in 2021, with such fatalities increasing by 1,280 percent, according to a report released on Nov. 29 by the county department of public health.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the health department, in a joint statement, also announced the creation of a working group that will address the fentanyl crisis “through prevention, education, and enforcement.”