Travis County residents got a double dose of worrisome public health news in August, as data showed the county is on pace to lead the state in fentanyl overdose deaths for a second straight year, and another dangerous drug–the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine–was detected in five people who died since late May.
The deceased are, of course, more than numbers. They’re mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, siblings, co-workers and neighbors whose socioeconomic status and other demographics defy categorization.
Their needless deaths can be attributed to a number of factors, including an explosion in the amount of fentanyl flowing into the U.S. in recent years and a dire shortage of drug treatment options.
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