Opioids are the main driver of drug overdose deaths in the United States.
Overdose affects all of us—more than 7,000 Californians died from opioid-related overdoses in 2022. The California Department of Public Health collects and analyzes data on:
- Fatal drug-related overdoses
- Fatal drug-related overdose risk factors
- Non-fatal drug-related overdoses
- Prescription data and substance use and misuse behaviors
To tackle the opioid crisis:
- California’s National Guard has hired, trained, and embedded 166 new members to support the Governor’s initiative to reduce fentanyl in communities.
- California’s National Guard seized 28,765 pounds of fentanyl in 2022, a 594% increase in seizures since 2021.
- The California Department of Justice is holding opioid manufacturers, distributors, retail pharmacies and consulting and other firms accountable for the opioid crisis through ongoing litigation and investigative efforts, which are expected to bring in billions in funding for California communities; in 2022, a $26 billion settlement with pharmaceutical companies was reached.
