San Francisco faces deadliest year for drug overdoses due to rise of fentanyl

Experts warn new and troubling trend is emerging: more victims are found to have consumed both fentanyl and methamphetamine

San Francisco is facing its deadliest year ever for drug overdoses, a trend blamed on the surge of powerful synthetic fentanyl in the US’s illicit drug supply.

In the first nine months of 2023, the northern California city saw 692 people die of overdoses, more than in the entire year of 2022, according to new data reported by the city’s medical examiner. The city is on track to see more than 800 deaths this year, topping its highest year ever, 2020, when it saw 720.