Fentanyl Fears Grow: 6 Lives Lost to Overdoses in Yakima County This Month

6 people in Yakima County have died of drug overdoses so far this month with a total of 77 overdose deaths reported in all of 2024. Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice says the county could break the record of 96 overdose deaths set in 2023.

THE RISE IN DEATHS IS ALARMING TO THE YAKIMA COUNTY CORONER

Curtice says that's because numbers are climbing at an alarming rate. More than half the deaths have been caused by the deadly drug fentanyl with many people having no idea they were actually consuming the drug.

LOOK FOR THOSE UNUSED AND EXPIRED MEDICATIONS IN YOUR HOME

Curtice says the best thing everyone can do today is to look for the unused or expired medications in medicine cabinets and dispose of them. That way says Curtice young people and others can't find the drugs. Especially pain medications. He says many of the overdoses are in people who have taken what are called "blue 30" pills. Small blue pills with the number 30 printed on them that are laced with fentanyl. The problem? There's no way to tell if they're laced with the fentanyl. You can dispose of the medication at these locations Drug Disposal Sites in Yakima County.

THE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN ON THE RISE SINCE THE PANDEMIC

Overdose deaths increased in Yakima County and in many other areas during the pandemic and numbers have been climbing ever since.
Curtice and many other local and state authorities believe much of the fentanyl killing Americans is coming from the southern border because of the current administrations border policy.