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Local medical panel warns Spokane County overdoses remain steady; counterfeit pills highlight youth risk
Summary
Dr. Velasquez told the Spokane County Behavioral Health Advisory Board that fentanyl-driven overdoses in Spokane County have continued to rise through 2024, that many street pills contain multiple substances and that the Fentanyl Roundtable is targeting reimbursement, housing and youth prevention as immediate priorities.
Dr. Velasquez, presenter for the Fentanyl Roundtable, told the Spokane County Behavioral Health Advisory Board that overdose deaths tied to synthetic opioids have continued to rise in Spokane County through 2024, and that the county has not shown the plateau seen in some other jurisdictions.
"We have not really seen that plateau in Spokane County," Dr. Velasquez said, citing recent medical examiner data. He told the board the county's medical examiner, Dr. Singh, had shared updated numbers in the weeks before the presentation.
The presentation summarized national and state trends and localized data for Spokane County. Dr. Velasquez said fentanyl is the most commonly detected drug in recent overdoses, but that many fatal and nonfatal events involve multiple substances — most commonly methamphetamine and, to a lesser extent, cocaine and…
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