CDC data show synthetic‑opioid deaths didn’t just rise—they spread. From 2018 to 2019, the West had the largest relative jump in fentanyl‑class overdose death rates (up 67.9%), reversing earlier eastern concentration. This westward diffusion coincided with rising polysubstance involvement.
— Recognizing the epidemic’s geographic pivot guides where to surge naloxone, test strips, treatment capacity, and surveillance rather than relying on outdated regional assumptions.
2026.01.04
48% relevant
Although the USAFacts piece is national, it notes illicit production and smuggling across the US–Mexico border—connecting to analyses that document geographic diffusion of fentanyl (e.g., westward spread by 2019) and the role of cross‑border supply chains.
2023.03.08
100% relevant
CDC MMWR: “the largest relative increase in the synthetic opioid‑involved death rate occurred in the West (67.9%)” during 2018–2019.
2018.03.29
55% relevant
The report flags synthetic opioids (e.g., illicit fentanyl) as the main driver of the 2015–2016 uptick, providing antecedent national evidence that supports later analyses describing geographic diffusion (including westward spread) of fentanyl‑linked mortality.
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