Record fentanyl deaths reported in county

Local prescription drug deaths have set a new record in San Diego County. Deaths due to heroin have dropped, but fentanyl deaths have skyrocketed.

Those are the main results of the county’s 2018 Prescription Drug Abuse Report Card released Oct. 26.

The latest report shows 273 San Diegans died from prescription drugs last year, an 8 percent increase from 2016 when 253 fatalities were reported. The previous record was set in 2012, when 268 prescription drug deaths occurred.

In addition to deaths, the report card tracks other indicators of opioid abuse in the county. It also shows the following (...