San Diego County has become a national epicenter for fentanyl trafficking, with nearly 60% of all fentanyl seized around the country happening at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the Department of Justice. More deadly fentanyl is being seized by border officials in San Diego and Imperial counties than at any of the nation’s 300-plus ports of entry. As a result of the influx in drugs, fentanyl overdose deaths in the region have increased 2,375 percent since 2016, according to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. In fact, the office says this dangerous opioid is now the leading cause of death for young adults ages 18-45, surpassing deaths from car accidents, homicide, COVID-19, suicide gun violence and heart disease.
The situation is so dire, in June, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors declared illegal fentanyl a public health crisis.
NBC 7 decided to dig deeper, beyond the headlines and statistics, to understand how and why this fentanyl emergency has unfolded in San Diego County, as well as the impact the crisis is having in our communities and finally, what work needs to be done to fight what’s being called an epidemic.
During our journey, we spoke with parents who’ve lost their kids, overdose survivors, academic and medical professionals, representatives of government agencies and activists. Their stories from the front lines of this battle are raw, honest and sometimes frightening. Through telling these stories, we hope San Diegans can better understand the magnitude of the fentanyl crisis and what we need to do together to protect our families from that next poison pill.
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QUIZ: CAN YOU SPOT A FENTANYL-LACED PILL?
After taking the quiz, it should be clear that telling the difference between a real pill and fake one laced with fentanyl is very difficult. These pills are made to look almost identical. And while there are test strips that can detect the presence of fentanyl in a powder or a pill, those test strips cannot tell how much fentanyl is present. In other words, the test strips cannot determine if a pill or powder contains a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Emoji Drug Codes
As part of their #OnePillCanKill campaign, the DEA released this reference guide on how common emojis are being used on social media platforms to advertise the sale of illegal drugs. According to the DEA, fake prescription pills, commonly laced with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine, are often sold on social media and e-commerce platforms.
These emojis reflect common examples found in DEA investigations. This list is not all-inclusive, and the images are a representative sample, according to the DEA.
A Message From a Former Addict
Why Some Pills Kill and Others Don't
Fentanyl & The Brain with Dr. Aleka Heinrici
Facts and Figures
5 Things Every Parent Should Know About Illicit Fentanyl
How to Get Narcan in San Diego
Resources for Help
San Diego County Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force
Community & Parent Toolkits: includes resources en Español, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic and Farsi
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA): (1-800-662-HELP (4357))
Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service in English and Spanish.
San Diego Access & Crisis Line: (1-888-724-7240)
Free, confidential, 24/7 alcohol and drug support services with over 200 languages available.
2-1-1 San Diego: Substance abuse and mental health treatment referrals.
A New Path: Naloxone training and distribution program.
SDDA Victim Services: (619-531-4041): Resources for surviving family members who have lost a loved one to a drug overdose
Additional project contributors:
Executive Producers: Sarah Lee & Aws Haidari/NBC 7
Producer: Catherine Garcia
Copy Editor: Sarah Lee/NBC 7
Photographers: Elroy Spatcher & Aws Haidari/NBC 7
Video Editor: Aws Haidari/NBC 7
Colorist & Audio Mixing: Jay Yoo/NBC 7
Motion Graphics Designer: Erin Panell and Rosangela Payan/NBC
Design and Development: Nelson Hsu/NBC
