The number of people dying from fentanyl overdoses continues to increase in the U.S.

Spokane Public Radio | By Doug Nadvornick

Published September 14, 2022 at 11:00 AM PDT

Federal drug agencies are providing information to help people delineate safe medication from toxic fentanyl pills.

A University of Washington faculty member says more and easier-to-access treatment facilities are needed.

Federal health officials estimate nearly 108-thousand people died from drug overdoses in the U.S. in 2021. That’s up 15% from the year before.

Caleb Banta-Green says the biggest contributor is fentanyl, far more toxic than other synthetic opioids. Banta-Green is an acting professor at the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute. He spoke in Spokane Tuesday night as part of the university’s Next Generation Medicine speaker series.

Regional News

Doug Nadvornick

Doug Nadvornick has spent most of his 30+-year radio career at Spokane Public Radio and filled a variety of positions. He is currently the program director and news director. Through the years, he has also been the local Morning Edition and All Things Considered host (not at the same time). He served as the Inland Northwest correspondent for the Northwest News Network, based in Coeur d’Alene. He created the original program grid for KSFC. He has also served for several years as a board member for Public Media Journalists Association. During his years away from SPR, he worked at The Pacific Northwest Inlander, Washington State University in Spokane and KXLY Radio.

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