King County Council to consider declaring fentanyl a public health crisis
SEATTLE - A committee of the King County Council will be meeting Thursday morning to consider legislation that would declare fentanyl a public health crisis.
According to the King County Medical Examiner Office’s Fatal Overdose Dashboard, the number of people in the county who died from a fentanyl overdose more than doubled in King County last year.
As of this year, the county is on track to set yet another new record.
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About 238 people have died from fentanyl so far in 2022, a 43% increase compared to this time last year. In 2021, there were 396 fentanyl-involved deaths in King County.
Council member Reagan Dunn proposed the legislation.
If the council declares fentanyl a public health crisis, King County will develop additional strategies and recommendations in its response to resign fentanyl-related deaths.
The meeting for the committee vote is scheduled for Thursday at 9:30 a.m.