Santa Clara County records its first carfentanil overdose death

SAN JOSE – Santa Clara County recorded its first carfentanil overdose death last week, according to county officials.

The synthetic opioid is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and not approved for human consumption.

A 39-year-old man was found dead with M30 pills made to look like prescription oxycodone, the county’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs said in a news release. The Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office confirmed he died from a carfentanil overdose.

“We urge people to avoid the dangers of opioids, especially fake pills that may contain carfentanil or fentanyl,” Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Michelle Jorden said in a statement. “Fake pills look real, but they can be deadly. People should not take any pill that they did not buy from the pharmacy.”

Deaths involving carfentanil appear to be on the rise in the United States. The number rose from 29 during the first half of 2023 to 238 during the first half of 2024, a sevenfold increase, according to a report the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued in December.

The county urged community members to call 911 if they encounter someone suffering from an overdose and if possible administer naloxone, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.

The Santa Clara County Opioid Overdose Prevention Project offers free naloxone by mail to residents 18 or older. To obtain naloxone or learn more about substance use treatment services, call 408-272-6055, email SCCOOPP@hhs.sccgov.org or visit fentfacts.org.

The county also provides a full continuum of substance use treatment, including outpatient and residential programs, and medications for addiction treatment, according to the county. Those struggling with a substance use disorder and need help can contact the county’s Behavioral Health Center at 800-704-0900 or dial 988.

Check back for updates.