(The Center Square) – Gov. Greg Abbott announced on July 13 the launch of the Texas fentanyl data dashboard by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The dashboard is part of the statewide “One Pill Kills” campaign, launched in October by Abbott, and is available through Texas Health Data.
Texans can now access information that includes fentanyl-related deaths from 2014 to 2023 and lets users view them, by demographics or by geography, according to a July 13 news release.
The dashboard reflects the expansion of data on fentanyl and other drug poisoning deaths published by DSHS online.
“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,” Abbott said. “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.”
Information on fentanyl and other drug poisonings comes from death certificates, which DSHS maintains, and will be updated four times per year, according to the news release. It shows that fentanyl-related deaths have increased by more than 575% over a four-year period.
The dashboard comes after Abbott directed state agency leaders in September to ramp up efforts to respond to the fentanyl crisis, including coordinating efforts to raise awareness of fentanyl’s lethality and prevalence.
This article First appeared in the center square