FACT CHECK: DO 61 PERCENT OF OVERDOSE DEATHS IN DELAWARE INVOLVE FENTANYL?

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons claimed on Twitter that 61 percent of the overdose deaths in his state involved the drug fentanyl.

In DE, 61% of deaths related to overdoses involved fentanyl. I appreciate the Chinese government’s commitment to classify fentanyl as a controlled substance. It is a significant first step & I look forward to seeing our governments work further together to resolve this challenge.— Senator Chris Coons (@ChrisCoons) April 29, 2019

Verdict: True

In 2017, 345 people died from drug overdoses in Delaware, according to the state’s Division of Forensic Science. Of these, 210 – or 61 percent – involved fentanyl. After Coons made the claim, numbers for 2018 were published that showed 74 percent of overdose deaths in the state involved fentanyl.

Fact Check:

Illicit fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid. Primarily sourced from China and Mexico, it has fueled the opioid crisis currently gripping the country.

More