August 31 marked International Overdose Awareness Day, as Las Vegas locals gathered to commemorate their late loved ones and look for paths forward.
According to CDC data, from March of 2024 to March of this year, Nevada’s drug overdose death toll rose to 1,600 people, an 8% jump.
That makes Nevada one of only three states — the other two being Arizona and Hawaii — that experienced an increase in overdose deaths during that time. In the rest of the country, overdose fatalities fell by an average of 25%.
Sean O’Donnell is the executive director of Foundation for Recovery, which provides services for people struggling with substance abuse disorders. O’Donnell said factors in Nevada are culminating to create an environment conducive to overdoses.
“When we're talking about those other social aspects of having purpose of work, having an income, having a roof over your head — when those things are jeopardized, then we also see an increase in substance use," O'Donnell said.
Fentanyl is still the leading cause of overdose in Southern Nevada, with related deaths increasing 93% between 2020 and 2023.
And nationally, Fentanyl-related deaths increased 279% between 2016 and 2021.
