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Department of Public Health official: 1,524 overdose deaths in Connecticut in 2021; 86% linked to fentanyl
Summary
A Department of Public Health official told attendees that Connecticut recorded 1,524 overdose deaths in 2021 and that 86% were related to fentanyl, warning the synthetic opioid is increasingly found in other drugs and urging treatment and harm-reduction steps.
A Department of Public Health official said Connecticut recorded 1,524 drug overdose deaths in 2021 and that 86 percent of those fatalities were related to fentanyl.
"We had 1524 drug overdose deaths, in 2021," the official said, adding that "86 percent of those drug overdose deaths were related to fentanyl," and warning the synthetic opioid has infiltrated the state’s drug supply. The official said fentanyl has been found in cocaine, heroin and crack and noted mixtures with xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer.
The official framed the statistics as part of a rapid rise: fentanyl accounted for about 24 percent of overdose deaths in 2015 and, the official said, now makes up roughly 86 percent. The official also stressed fentanyl’s lethality, saying only a small amount can be fatal and urging people with opioid use disorder to seek treatment.
The Department of Public Health official handed the briefing to a moderator to introduce a local perspective after the presentation.
