COLORADO SPRINGS — The number of Fentanyl-related deaths in Colorado's largest county could be slowing down, but the state's health leaders warn the number of people dying from the drug is cause for concern.
As more people are dying from the drug in the state, it's become a top priority for elected leaders in Colorado.
In a presentation to Colorado Springs City Council Monday, El Paso County Coroner Dr. Leon Kelly detailed his office's annual report which reiterated previous reports, showing the number of Fentanyl-related accidental deaths in the county more than doubled to 99 people in 2021 compared to 47 people in 2020.
Kelly also reported in the first half of 2022, 61 people in the county had died from Fentanyl. Kelly said while it could mean the county is on track for another record-breaking year of Fentanyl deaths, it could also show the rate at which people are dying is slowing down slightly.
“So, we hope that this is the first sign of a slowing down of the increase and maybe the beginning of a plateau, but once again, it’s not a plateau we want to be on,” Kelly said.
The coroner's office reports two people also died by suicide using Fentanyl in 2021, which brings the total of people dying from Fentanyl in the county to 101. Dr. Kelly reported 15 fentanyl-related accidental deaths were among people in the county's homeless population.
Another concerning trend in the data is that younger people are dying of fentanyl-related deaths. The average age of people in El Paso County who died last year from fentanyl-related deaths was 35 years compared to an average age of 47 years for all non-fentanyl drug overdose deaths.
He told the council five children and teens died of fentanyl overdoses in 2021, the youngest was 18 months old.
"Some of these are young kids who either got into it unintentionally, or who are seeking out drugs but maybe it’s the first time they’ve ever used and unfortunately the batch of drugs they get is fentanyl,” he said.
Dr. Kelly said he would endorse efforts to make overdose treatments more widely available when asked by Council President Tom Strand about medications like Narcan or Naloxone.
“I look at is as no different than an EpiPen or some other rescue medication that if you’re in the right place at the right time and you know what your doing, you have the potential to save lives," Dr. Kelly said.
"And when we know fentanyl deaths are occurring in such young people, it’s a young life that you may be saving and a life that, maybe it’s a kid that made a mistake and now they’ve got the opportunity to learn and grow from that and have a long, productive wonderful life.”
Dr. Kelly also prepared data for the board looking at geographic locations of fentanyl-related deaths. He is concerned by the growth of fentanyl deaths occurring in rural parts of El Paso County.
What's being done about Fentanyl deaths
Colorado's legislature passed a sweeping piece of legislation in 2022 to increase penalties and funding for certain preventive measures in the state.
The bill received criticism from both sides of the aisle. Some opponents of the bill argue criminalizing drug use is not the answer in combatting the epidemic. Others argue the bill does not go far enough in penalties for distributing Fentanyl.
The biggest change in the 2022 legislation is the punishments surrounding distributing Fentanyl in Colorado.
The legislation also makes it a felony for drug-related distribution of fentanyl. The new penalties went into effect in the state at the beginning of July.
Colorado’s legislation also puts millions of dollars into withdrawal management and crisis services, expansion of the state’s Harm Reduction Grant Program, and distribution of Narcan, which is known to reverse the effects of an overdose as well as fentanyl test strips.
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
