Fentanyl deaths on the rise in the US! There were several overdoses in Oregon over the weekend

• Fentanyl deaths on the rise in the United States!
• There were a string of overdoses in Portland, Oregon over the weekend.
• The CDC issues a warning.

A DEADLY WEEKEND IN THE USA. At least eight people died of fentanyl overdoses over the weekend. According to the authorities, deaths from the dangerous drug are rising across the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared fentanyl a serious problem in the United States. The CDC continues to recommend that people refrain from consuming this powerful opioid.

FENTANYL DEATHS ON THE RISE IN THE US

As shootings have become one of the ugliest problems facing the country, a new one is quickly taking first place. In recent months, the rising number of fentanyl overdoses has been a great wake-up call for experts and, above all, for the public.

At least eight people died over the weekend in Portland, Oregon, according to the city’s police department, The Associated Press reported. This set off alarms about the importance of raising awareness of this dangerous drug.

What is known about the deaths in Oregon?

According to the AP, six of the deaths were likely related to fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. This was concerning to Oregon authorities, who pointed out that the investigation is still ongoing. It’s possible users were confused and thought they were ingesting cocaine.

“Several of those who died believed they were using cocaine, when in fact it was fentanyl or a mixture of the two substances,” the city police office said in a news release. “Users are warned that there may be a batch of purported cocaine circulating on the street that is particularly dangerous to use,” authorities stated.

Are fentanyl overdoses continuing to rise?

So far, it is known that the deaths occurred between early Friday morning and Saturday afternoon. They are being investigated by the Portland Police Bureau’s organized crime and narcotics unit, the AP reported.

In Multnomah County, home to Portland, more than 60% of the county’s 271 opioid overdoses in 2021 involved fentanyl, according to the Tri-County Opioid Safety Coalition. That year, fentanyl also contributed to a record number of homeless deaths in Portland, according to the AP.

What is fentanyl?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and that it’s used to treat pain from diseases such as cancer. They pointed out that it is stronger than morphine, so people who consume it often overdose.

“Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, approved to treat severe pain, usually pain from advanced cancer. It is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine. It is prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or pills and can be diverted for misuse and abuse in the United States,» the CDC explained.

A sharp rise in deaths?

It’s reported that the rate of overdose deaths has increased by 56% between 2019 and 2020. This is more than 18 times higher than deaths in 2013.

“Overdose death rates for synthetic opioids other than methadone, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, increased by more than 56% between 2019 and 2020. The number of synthetic opioid overdose deaths in 2020 was more than 18 times higher than in 2013. More than 56,000 people died from synthetic opioid overdoses in 2020,” reported the CDC.