Riverside County Public Health this week announced the first confirmed fatal carfentanil overdose in a Riverside County resident. Officials said a man in his 40s died in March in Los Angeles County as the result of a carfentanil overdose.
“Although toxicology results can come back in a few weeks, other aspects of the investigation take time,” said Wendy Hetherington, branch chief of the Epidemiology & Program Evaluation at Riverside University Health System – Public Health. “This particular death took place outside of Riverside County, and that is another delay for the death to be reallocated to Riverside County.”
Hetherington said that all suspected overdose deaths are investigated by the coroner/medical examiner and can take about three months to determine the final cause in order to both eliminate other potential causes of death and to determine whether the overdose was intentional or unintentional.
According to Hetherington, carfentanil is an extremely potent synthetic opioid that has a similar chemical structure to fentanyl, but is estimated to be 100 times stronger.
Carfentanil was originally developed for use as a tranquilizer in large animals like elephants, and even a “miniscule amount,” can cause a fatal overdose, Public Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Chevinsky said in a July 17 release.
“We do not know much about how people are using carfentanil as it has been extremely rare,” Hetherington said. “With fentanyl, people are actively seeking it out now as compared to early years.”
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMF) first entered the illegal drug supply in the United States more than a decade ago as a substitute for white powder heroin. The CDC said deaths involving carfentanil remain rare, there were two reported in the first six months of 2023, they are on the rise. In the first six months of 2024, the number of deaths increased to 14.
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And while the number of overdose deaths attributed to carfentanil have increased, the CDC noted that the overall number of overdose deaths from IMFs began declining nationwide in 2023. Earlier this year, Riverside County officials reported that local fentanyl-related overdose deaths declined by 43% in 2024 with an overall decline in overdose deaths of 28%.
“While overall we are seeing a decrease in opioid overdose deaths in Riverside County, this is a reminder that there are things each of us can do to prevent these terrible outcomes,” Chevinsky said. “Everyone deserves dignity, compassion and the opportunity to be safe.”
Public Health officials recommend that those who choose to use illegal substances never use alone, stagger use with other people, take smaller amounts than usual and ensure friends, family and others around know the signs of overdose, have naloxone on hand and know how to use it.
Hetherington also recommended using fentanyl testing strips, even though they might not detect carfentanil, because they can provide some information on a drug’s contamination and risk.
“Every life lost from opioids is one too many,” Chevinsky said. “Together, we can continue to raise awareness about the risks associated with drug use and work as a community to support safety, reduce harm and care for one another.”
More information about overdose prevention and harm reduction services can be found here on Public Health’s website.
Recovery from addiction is possible. Those seeking help in Riverside County can call the Riverside CARES Line at 800-499-3008 or the non-emergency substance use disorder treatment referral line at 800-879-2772. Additional resources are available at FindTreatment.Gov.
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