Recent news articles from across the nation reveal that local jail inmates frequently die behind bars due to a drug overdose. Fentanyl is the particular drug that has increasingly been related to deaths in jails. Deadly in doses the equivalent of a few grains of salt, fentanyl is a growing threat. The one hopeful aspect of the high risk of fentanyl poisoning is that one or more applications of Narcan can often save a person who is overdosing on the potent drug and other opioids. Sadly, the huge demand for Narcan (naloxone) often exceeds the supplies on hand. The following are some details from recent news stories.

A County Jail Inmate in California Dies After Ingesting Fentanyl Allegedly Supplied by Another Detainee

An inmate in a county jail in California has been charged with the murder of another inmate. The suspect allegedly smuggled fentanyl into the jail and supplied it to others, one of whom died of fentanyl poisoning. Repeated doses of naloxone were administered by paramedics, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Another inmate at the California jail who also took fentanyl survived after being provided with applications of naloxone. The Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying that beginning in January 2023, every individual who enters the jail will be screened for drugs and other paraphernalia using a new body scanner.

Learn more in this continuing series.

Suggesting that any institution or person has participated in wrongdoing is never intended on this cite. This website’s purpose is to provide helpful information to inmates detained in county and municipal jails in Texas.

–Guest Contributor