Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of a new fentanyl data dashboard to track deaths and incidents in response to the fentanyl crisis. The new dashboard will be posted on the Texas Department of Health and Safety (DSHS) website, as it is a part of Abbott’s “One Pill Kills” initiative.
“Texans must come together to raise awareness of this deadly opioid to our family, friends, and communities,” Abbott said in a statement. “The data published on this website will help Texans lead the fight against this deadly drug.”
Texas is ramping up our fight against the fentanyl crisis.
Today, we launched the Texas fentanyl data dashboard to better inform Texans about the dangers of this horrific drug.
Together, we will save even more lives and educate our fellow Texans.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 13, 2023
Between 2019 and 2021, fentanyl-related deaths increased by 400 percent. In 2022 alone, nearly 2,000 Texans lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning.
In April of 2023, Abbott began the “One Pill Kills” campaign after vowing to battle the fentanyl crisis in Texas. Subsequently, during the 88th Legislative Session, Abbott classified combating the growing fentanyl crisis as an emergency item. He recently signed four new pieces of legislation that will heighten penalties for fentanyl dealers while providing more resources to those devastated by the deadly drug.
The newly established web page on the DSHS website will furnish live statistics on fentanyl and other drug-related deaths from 2014 to 2023. Furthermore, the website will be maintained by DSHS and will be updated four times per year as DSHS continues to gather data about fentanyl and other drug-related deaths.
Dr. Jennifer Shuford, commissioner of the DSHS, emphasized the importance of measuring a problem as a crucial step to understanding and addressing it. “I hope making this data easily accessible will allow Texas experts and leaders to continue to craft solutions to this deadly crisis,” she said.
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