Opioid overdose deaths among Vermonters remain on upward trajectory
VTDigger
The latest state data shows that from January to September, 168 Vermonters fatally overdosed — nine more than in the first nine months of last year. If the numbers stay on that upward trajectory, Vermont could surpass the record it set for resident opioid deaths in 2021.
The details show the continued pervasiveness of fentanyl. The synthetic opioid, which has fueled fatal overdoses among Vermonters since 2016, was involved in 93% of deaths so far this year.
Authorities say the drug, which is a hundred times stronger than morphine, is not only potent but relatively inexpensive to produce and widely available. Those factors have led illicit drug manufacturers to mix fentanyl with other substances, often without the knowledge of users.