A one-year-old was among five children killed by fentanyl in El Paso County last year, according to data just released by the coroner’s office. Fentanyl-related deaths totaled 101 in 2021, more than double the previous year, a trend seen every year since five deaths were caused by the drug in 2017.
The coroner’s report said the average age of fentanyl deaths is going down with a mean age of 35, twelve years younger than that for deaths from all drugs. Coroner Dr. Leon Kelly attributes this shift to the current pill form of the drug, which is easily ingested and trafficked and highly toxic even in small amounts. Other drugs are often contaminated with fentanyl too.
If the trend continues, according to the report, fentanyl deaths this year will eclipse last year. Two minors are already among those who have died this year.
Additional data released by the El Paso County coroner’s office:
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