The number of heroin overdoses in California has doubled for certain age groups in the last four years.
Data released by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shows that 20- to 29-year-olds have had more heroin overdoses than any other age group since 2012.
Last year, there were 412 overdoses among that age group. That's double the amount in 2012.
Poisonings among 30 to 39-year-olds also doubled since 2012 with the highest number of incidences occurring in 2015.
State health officials say an increase in fentanyl laced heroin may be behind the rise.
Fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin.
Heroin deaths have surpassed gun homicides in the US, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Follow us for more stories like this
CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you. As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.
Donate Today