Fentanyl overdose (including fentanyl poisonings) is now the leading cause of preventable death among adults under 45, outpacing suicide, gun violence and car accidents. On average, an American dies of fentanyl-related causes every seven minutes. Our youth appear to be especially susceptible to fentanyl poisoning, as unsuspecting teens are uniquely vulnerable to taking what turn out to be counterfeit prescription pills containing lethal doses of fentanyl. And our state's overdose rates appear to track national trends--in 2021, at least 1,881 Coloradans died of a drug overdose, roughly half of whom died of fentanyl. The availability of illicit substances, particularly fentanyl, on the Internet is deeply troubling. Colorado is committed to confronting the painful and deadly challenges of fentanyl distribution in the state.
