The powerful synthetic opioid was implicated in 58% of deadly overdoses among unhoused people in L.A. County in 2021 — nearly three times the percentage that had involved fentanyl in 2019. More than 40% of overdose deaths among homeless people involved both fentanyl and methamphetamine in 2021, the county report found. Fentanyl overdoses have skyrocketed in general in L.A. County, but the overdose crisis has hit unhoused people especially hard. COVID-19 also killed homeless people at a higher rate than housed people in L.A. County. Tsai said that in L.A. County, discussions are underway with law enforcement and other local officials.

Source: Los Angeles Times May 16, 2023 15:32 UTC