FENTANYL: Drug that killed Prince, turning up more and more in La Crosse

The drug fentanyl is back in the news, as Minnesota investigators say rock singer Prince died from a fentanyl overdose.

Although it’s believed that Prince didn’t know he was taking fentanyl, many might be taking the powerful drug deliberately.

La Crosse County has reported a sharp increase in fentanyl overdoses in the past year, according to county health educator Al Bliss.

“There was 14 out of the 26 last year that had fentanyl present, which is an opioid,” Bliss said of drug deaths in 2017. “Compared to only four in 2016 that had fentanyl.”

In 2016, there were 21 drug-related deaths and Bliss said it’s not all younger people who are dying.

“We think that it’s people in their 20s and early 30s but, in fact, it’s middle-aged folks,” he said. “And, some of these individuals were probably using painkillers or were prescribed some of them.”

Members of the overdose team and the county heroin task force are expected to review the new figures this week.