Public Health warns of rise in opioid overdoses

Clark County Public Health is warning the community about a recent increase in emergency department visits due to opioid overdoses. Preliminary evidence suggests much of the increase may be due to fentanyl – a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.

Fentanyl may be added to illicit drugs during their production without the drug user’s knowledge. This has resulted in substantial increases in drug overdose deaths across the country, including in Clark County. In Clark County, fentanyl overdose deaths increased by 200 percent from 2019 to 2020, from 13 to 39 deaths.