Fentanyl deaths are down, but the danger remains in the Valley

THOUSAND PALMS, CALIF. (KESQ)- Health experts and advocates highlighted life-saving overdose prevention tools as Riverside County saw a 54% drop in fentanyl-related deaths in its most recent 12-month comparison.

Fentanyl-related fatalities in the county fell from 545 to 251 during that period, though officials warn the synthetic opioid remains a critical public health threat.

The ongoing crisis has devastated local families, including Jennifer Loza, whose 18-year-old son, Steven Loza, died from a fentanyl overdose after smoking a single pill. Loza said those present had access to phones and Narcan while a parent was inside the home.

“My son took one hit - meaning smoked one hit off of a blue M30 pill. He had enough fentanyl in him to kill three people,” Loza said. “They did absolutely nothing to attempt to save him.” Following her son's death, Loza created the organization Forever 18 Fentanyl Awareness to travel around Riverside County educating students and parents about overdose risks.

“A lot of parents think, 'Well, my kid would never do something like that.' The moment you do that is when it's dangerous,” Loza said. Harm reduction organizations are working to prevent similar tragedies by expanding access to drug testing tools. Ani Paroo, harm reduction manager at DAP Health, explained that identifying fentanyl before consumption is essential.

“If we can get people to test their drug supply before they use it, they will be informed and prevent the need to have a response for an overdose in the first place,” Paroo said. Paru demonstrated how test strips detect trace amounts of fentanyl using an all-inclusive pouch, water and a testing strip. “You wait 10 seconds holding it in the solution. Remove it, lay it on a flat surface and after 5 minutes, you read the results,” Paroo said. When overdoses do occur, quick intervention with naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, can reverse the effects of opioids.

DAP Health reported that its harm reduction program helped reverse 728 overdoses in 2024, compared to 267 in 2023. Paroo urged bystanders to intervene without fear, noting that touching fentanyl does not cause an overdose. “Go ahead and give naloxone. Call your 911,” Paroo said. “You cannot overdose by touching fentanyl.” Free Narcan and fentanyl test strips are accessible through vending machines located at DAP Health clinics in the valley.