(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Newly released numbers show more than 1,500 people died from opioid overdoses in Cook County during 2023, and officials with the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said one drug in particular is driving that number.
“More than 90% of the opioid deaths are due to fentanyl,” said Cook County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Ponni Arunkumar.
Arunkumar said in 2022, opioids were responsible for a record 2,001 deaths, and the number in 2023 will likely be close to that mark with 1,540 already certified — and more than 400 pending cases likely to fall under the opioid overdose classification.
“Fentanyl is a very deadly drug,” she said. “It is a lot more potent than morphine. It's 50 – 100 times more potent than morphine.”
Some of those who die from the drug don’t even know they’re using it, Arunkumar said.
“It is being mixed with other drugs like cocaine [or] benzodiazepine, so people may be thinking they are getting one drug, but it's mixed with fentanyl,” the medical examiner said.
By raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, Arunkumar said she hopes people may be deterred from using it.
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