Public Health — Seattle & King County has been alerted to an increasing trend in fentanyl-involved overdoses in the unstably housed population.
Public Health — Seattle & King County has been alerted to an increasing trend in fentanyl-involved overdoses in the unstably housed population.
In both May and July 2021, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office identified 10 fatal overdoses involving fentanyl in unstably housed individuals, which is 5 times the amount of fatal fentanyl overdoses seen in the preceding months.
Locally, fentanyl is most commonly found in counterfeit pills. These pills are often blue and marked with “M30” and referred to as “oxys” or “percs.” Fentanyl has also been found in white powder drugs and, more rarely, in black tar heroin.
Please share this information widely with colleagues, clients and patients.
Reduce risk of opioid overdose
Have naloxone ready. You can get naloxone at pharmacies, needle exchanges and other community sites. Find naloxone near you.
Try not to not use alone. If you must, have someone check on you or use a service like the Brave app or neverusealone.com that can call for help if you stop responding.
If you suspect an overdose, call 911 right away. The Good Samaritan Law protects you and the person overdosing from drug possession charges. More information on the Good Samaritan Law. For information, data and resources to prevent overdose visit www.kingcounty.gov/overdose.
Access to treatment
Medications such as methadone and buprenorphine are effective treatments for opioid use disorder. Starting medication for opioid use disorder is now more accessible than ever. People can connect with a provider via phone or online from their own home to get started on buprenorphine. Call the Washington Recovery Helpline for resources at 1-866-789-1511 or www.warecoveryhelpline.org.
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