{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,5]],"date-time":"2026-09-05T12:10:47Z","timestamp":1788610247147,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,16]],"date-time":"2023-05-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1684195200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Journal of Forensic Sciences"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:p>The opioid epidemic has affected the United States (US) for decades with fentanyl and its analogs accounting for a recent surge in morbidity and mortality. Currently, there is a relative lack of information characterizing fentanyl\u2010related fatalities specifically in the Southern US. A retrospective study was conducted to examine all postmortem fentanyl\u2010related drug toxicities in Travis County, Texas, encompassing Austin (one of the fastest\u2010growing cities in the US), from 2020 to 2022. Fentanyl contributed to 2.6% and 12.2% of deaths submitted for toxicology between 2020 and 2022, respectively, representing a 375% increase in fentanyl\u2010related deaths over this 3\u2010year period (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009517). Fentanyl\u2010related fatalities primarily occurred in males in their mid\u201030s. Fentanyl and norfentanyl concentrations ranged from 0.58 to 320 ng\/mL and 0.53 to 140\u2009ng\/mL with mean (median) concentrations of 17.2\u2009\u00b1\u200925.0 (11.0) and 5.6\u2009\u00b1\u200910.9 (2.9)\u2009ng\/mL, respectively. Polydrug use was present in 88% of cases, with methamphetamine (or other amphetamines) (25%), benzodiazepines (21%), and cocaine (17%) representing the most frequently identified concurrent substances. Co\u2010positivity rates of various drugs and drug classes widely varied over time. Scene investigations reported illicit powder(s) (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009141) and\/or illicit pill(s) (<jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u2009154) in 48% (<jats:italic>n\u2009=<\/jats:italic>\u2009247) of fentanyl\u2010related deaths. Illicit oxycodone (44%, <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200967) and illicit \u201cXanax\u201d (38%, <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u200959) pills were frequently reported on scene; however, toxicology only identified oxycodone and alprazolam in 2 and 24 of these cases, respectively. The results of this study provide a better understanding of the fentanyl epidemic in this region creating an opportunity to promote increased awareness, shift focus to harm reduction, and aid in minimizing public health risks.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1111\/1556-4029.15283","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,17]],"date-time":"2023-05-17T05:29:17Z","timestamp":1684301357000},"page":"1662-1674","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["Emergence of fentanyl\u2010related deaths in Travis County, Texas and surrounding areas: A retrospective review of postmortem fentanyl\u2010related drug toxicities from 2020 to 2022"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"68","author":[{"given":"Kayla N.","family":"Ellefsen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Travis County Medical Examiner  Austin Texas USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christina R.","family":"Smith","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Travis County Medical Examiner  Austin Texas USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elizabeth A.","family":"Taylor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Travis County Medical Examiner  Austin Texas USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Brad J.","family":"Hall","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Travis County Medical Examiner  Austin Texas USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,5,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_9_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jat\/bku086"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1556\u20104029.2007.00648.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2019.04.010"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_5_1","volume-title":"Fentanyl drugfacts","author":"National Institute on Drug Abuse","year":"2016"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_6_1","volume-title":"National drug threat assessment report","author":"U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration","year":"2015"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1373\/clinchem.2017.281626"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2019.00238"},{"issue":"25","key":"e_1_2_9_9_1","first-page":"5188","article-title":"Schedules of controlled substances: temporary placement of fentanyl\u2010related substances in schedule I. temporary amendment; temporary scheduling order","volume":"83","author":"U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration","year":"2018","journal-title":"Fed Regist"},{"key":"e_1_2_9_10_1","unstructured":"RosenLW BarriosR LawrenceSV.China primer: illicit fentanyl and China's role. 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