John --

Three years ago, our country was in the middle of a fentanyl crisis that felt completely out of control.

In San Diego County, fentanyl overdose deaths had exploded. In 2021 alone, more than 800 people died — many of them young adults. Nationwide, fentanyl became the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45. Families were being shattered. Schools were losing students. First responders were overwhelmed.

Doing nothing was not an option.

That’s why I led the effort at the County to take action — directing mandatory fentanyl education and training in our schools, partnering with our District Attorney on a countywide awareness campaign, and pushing a clear message to our youth and families:

One pill can kill.

That work wasn’t about headlines. It was about prevention. It was about awareness. And it was about making sure young people understood just how deadly fentanyl really is.

Today, for the first time in years, we’re seeing real progress.

According to the latest national data:

• In 2023, the U.S. recorded roughly 110,000 overdose deaths

• In 2024, that number fell to about 80,000–87,000, a 24–27% decline

• Deaths involving fentanyl and other synthetic opioids dropped even more sharply — down roughly 34–37%

• Early 2025 data shows the decline continuing, with overdose deaths falling another 24–25%

• This is the largest drop in overdose deaths in decades and the lowest levels since 2019

Let me be clear: this didn’t happen by accident.

It happened because communities took prevention seriously.
It happened because awareness campaigns reached families and kids.
And it happened because our border became more secure, cutting off supply lines that were flooding our neighborhoods with poison.

This progress proves something important: when government focuses on real problems, uses common sense, and works with the community — lives are saved.

But this fight is not over.

Fentanyl is still out there. Dealers are still targeting kids. And complacency would be deadly. We must keep educating, enforcing, and standing up for policies that protect families instead of enabling chaos.

I’m proud of the steps we took early — and even more determined to make sure we don’t lose the ground we’ve gained.

Because every statistic represents a life.
And every life is worth fighting for.

Thank you for standing with me — and for helping us keep our communities safe.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond
https://www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/