International Overdose Awareness Day: Taking Action to Save Lives

August 30, 2022.Reading time 8 minutes.

August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day. Every year, this serves as a time to remember our fellow community members who have died of or survived an overdose and raise awareness of ways to prevent future overdoses. This year, King County is working with community partners to expand the use of naloxone (also known as Narcan) – a powerful and very safe tool that can save the life of someone experiencing an opioid overdose – and educate the community about available treatments for opioid use disorder.

Talking with teens about fentanyl

December 2, 2021.Reading time 12 minutes.

With the first months of school now behind us and young people more used to re-engaging with their peers, it’s a good time to have an open and honest conversation with our kids about fentanyl.

Overdose update: Recent increase in overdose deaths linked to fentanyl-laced pills and powders

September 26, 2019.Reading time 10 minutes.

Update October 3, 2019 – Public Health officials continue to be concerned about increases in fentanyl overdose deaths in King County, driven by fentanyl found in counterfeit pills and in powders. As we reported below, between mid-June and mid-September 2019, there have been 141 suspected and confirmed drug overdose deaths. Since September 26, 2019, there […]

Update: Carfentanil found in syringe at scene of January overdoses

January 18, 2019.Reading time 4 minutes.

Update as of 3/19/19: On March 8, 2019 Public Health received additional testing results from the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab from a syringe found at the scene of multiple overdoses that took place in the north area of Seattle on January 17, 2019. The syringe was found to contain carfentanil, in addition to heroin. […]

Illicit fentanyl found locally in fake opioid pills

October 2, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office received results from the Washington State Patrol Crime Laboratory late last week that what looked like a bag of oxycodone pills came back positive for fentanyl. The large amount of fake pills were found on a decedent in King County. While the cause of death of the individual is […]

Witnessing an overdose? Don’t be afraid to call 911

August 30, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

Special series: Community voices on overdose prevention – An interview with Captain Bryan Howard, King County Sheriff’s Office Thursday, August 31, is International Overdose Prevention Day. This week, we are sharing community perspectives on preventing overdose and addiction. We talked with Captain Bryan Howard – King County Sheriff’s Office, to learn about the Good Samaritan Law, naloxone […]