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Las Vegas police launch campaign on fentanyl dangers following overdose spike

fentanyl
LVMPD

Las Vegas police launched a campaign on the dangers of fentanyl following a spike in overdoses in Southern Nevada.

Police said Clark County experienced a 196% jump in fentanyl-related overdoses from 2019 to 2020. Narcotics detectives said they've seen an increase in middle school students trying pills.

Between 2020 and 2021, 16 kids under age 18 died of a fentanyl overdose. "Detectives say many of the victims had no idea what was in the pills they took," police said in a news release.

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Parents were encouraged to talk to their kids about taking pills that were not prescribed to them by a doctor.

Police released three videos on fentanyl:

Kristen DeSilva (she/her) was the audience engagement specialist for Nevada Public Radio until May 2025. She curated and created content for knpr.org, our weekly newsletter and social media for Nevada Public Radio and Desert Companion.
How is Las Vegas' healthcare system really doing, and what does it mean for you and your family? Desert Companion's Health Issue takes a deep dive into these questions and explores how heart-centered business leaders prove that doing good benefits the bottom line.