Overview

• Santa Clara County recorded its first confirmed carfentanil overdose death, involving a 39-year-old man found with counterfeit M30 pills resembling oxycodone.
• Carfentanil, a synthetic opioid not approved for human use, is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and poses extreme overdose risks even in trace amounts.
• Health officials are warning residents to avoid non-pharmacy pills, as many street-sold opioids are counterfeit and may contain deadly substances like carfentanil or fentanyl.
• The county is expanding harm reduction efforts, including naloxone mail-out programs, fentanyl test strips, and increased access to treatment services.
• Santa Clara County's 2022 public health crisis declaration on mental health and substance use has laid the groundwork for its current overdose prevention initiatives.