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

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

Courtesy U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

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.