New DSHS dashboard tracks fentanyl data in Texas
On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of the Texas fentanyl data dashboard.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of the Texas fentanyl data dashboard.
The dashboard by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is part of the statewide "One Pill Kills" campaign, according to the Governor’s Office.
“This dashboard, available on Texas Health Data, reflects the expansion of data on fentanyl and other drug poisoning deaths published by DSHS online. Texans can now access information that includes fentanyl-related deaths from 2014 to 2023 and lets users view them over time, by demographics or by geography,” the Governor’s Office said.
According to a statement from Abbott, information on fentanyl and other drug poisonings comes from death certificates.
“It shows that fentanyl-related deaths have exploded over the last few years, increasing more than 575 percent over a four-year period from 317 in 2019 to 2,161 in 2022. The numbers also reveal that every region of Texas is affected by this fentanyl crisis,” the Governor’s Office said.
The current data on the dashboard for 2022 showed there were 2,161 fentanyl poisoning-related deaths. So far, data for 2023 showed 540 total deaths related to fentanyl poisoning.
Abbott said the DSHS' Texas fentanyl data dashboard was a result of him directing state agency leaders to ramp up efforts to respond to the fentanyl crisis.
"More than five Texans die every day from deadly fentanyl, and Texas continues to ramp up our efforts to combat the growing fentanyl crisis plaguing our state and the nation. Texans must come together to raise awareness of this deadly opioid to our family, friends, and communities, and the data published on this website will help Texans lead the fight against this deadly drug. I thank the Texas Department of State Health Services for their hard work to make this data more accessible to those who are working hard every day to keep fentanyl off our streets and educate Texans about the strategic manufacturing and distribution of this horrific drug."
Governor Abbott