12/4/2020 Summary Page 1_2019

Drug-Related Deaths in the City & County of Denver

Data Source: Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, Office of the Medical Examiner
2019 Summary as of December 31, 2019
Note, this summary represents final counts for 2019

HISTORICAL TRENDS (2008-2019) - Overdose deaths have decreased in Denver on average over the last decade. Small recent increases
fall within the normal variation of the data series. Deaths with Methamphetamine on board and with Fentanyl on board are increasing.

YEAR TO DATE - The total number of drug related deaths in Denver in 2018 was 209. In 2019, there were 225 drug related deaths.

Denver Drug-Related Deaths Per 100,000 Residents Combination Meth & Heroin Involved Deaths per 100,000
40 5

# of Deaths (per 100,000)

# of Deaths (per 100,000)

4
30
3
20
2

10 1

0 0
2010 2015 2020 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020
Year Year

Drug Related Deaths By Month Total Drug-Related Deaths (Jan-Dec)

2019 225
2017 2018 2019
2018 209
2017 201
# of Deaths

20

0
2 4 6 8 10 12
Month 1/1
12/4/2020 Summary Page 2_2019

POLYSUBSTANCE USE - The majority of drug overdose deaths in Denver involve multiple
Number of Drugs Present (2019)
substances found in the deceased’s system, i.e. toxicology. In 2019 so far:

Percent of Deaths
- 53% of deaths involved 3 or more drugs in the deceased's system. 40%
25% 21% 21%
- 17% of deaths involved 5 or more drugs in the deceased's system. 20% 16% 17%

0%
1 2 3 4 5+
Drug Count
DRUGS PRESENT (see footnote 2) - In 2019, some type of opioid was present in the
deceased’s system (including heroin) in nearly 60% of drug-related deaths in Denver. Change in Presence of Substances Over Time
50%
- 41% had prescription type opioids (not including heroin), compared to 32% in
2018. 40%

- 9% had heroin present but not prescription opioids, compared to 5% in 2018. 30% Methamphetamine

Heroin
- Methamphetamine has been present in 41% of deaths, compared to 42% in 2018. 20%
Fentanyl
- Denver has seen a rise in Fentanyl-related deaths, particularly between 2018 and 10%

2019. In 2019, 25% of deaths had Fentanyl on board, compared to 9% in 2018. 0%

2010 2015 2020

Was Decedent Experiencing Homelessness (2019)

100%
HOUSING STATUS - The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner investigators determine

Percent of Deaths
that the majority of people (85%) who died from a probable drug-overdose were not 85.33%
experiencing homelessness (see footnote 3). 50%
14.67%
0%
Yes No

2. These data represent deaths in which the specified drugs were present in specimens examined. Each death may have had other contributing factors.
3. Determining homeless status is not an exact science. This determination is based on OME investigators’ classification after extensive research into an individual’s life. 1/1
 12/4/2020 Fentanyl

Fentanyl Related Deaths in Denver County by Year and Week (2017 - 2020)
*Note these totals exclude deaths deemed as suicides by the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner
Select a Month
Month 

Fentanyl Related Deaths Fentanyl Related Deaths Fentanyl Related Deaths Fentanyl Related Deaths
(2017) (2018) (2019) (2020)

18 17 56 119
Drug Related Deaths By Week
2017 2018 2019 2020
# of Deaths

5
2019 Weekly
Average
0
10 20 30 40 50
Week of the Year

Explanation
In 2019, DDPHE began partnering with Denver Public Health to monitor the presence of Fentanyl in Denver. Fentanyl has become a more wide spread drug across the country and is
much more potent than other drug types. In an attempt to prevent Fentanyl related deaths, the Denver public health agencies have created a dashboard of several indicators that could
indicate increased Fentanyl presence. Some of the leading indicators in the dashboard include drug seizures from the Denver Police Department and Urine Analyses from Precision Labs.
One of the lagging indicators in the dashboard is Fentanyl Related Deaths from the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner. The number of Fentanyl Related Deaths in 2019 was much
higher than in 2018, indicating a rise in the presence of Fentanyl in Denver. The public health agencies as well as other city agencies and community partners are currently working
together to understand what this change in presence and use pattern might mean for Denver populations in order to develop an appropriate response to prevent future Fentanyl
Related Deaths.

Data Last Updated:

1/1
12/04/20 09:08 AM
12/4/2020 Summary Page 3_2019

LOCATIONS (see footnote 3) - Most drug related deaths occur in private residences or hospitals. In 2019:

- 68% of deaths occurred in private residences; roughly 16% occurred in a hospital.

- Only 7% of deaths occurred outdoors.

Place of Injury Place of Death

year 2019 year 2019
50% 45.78% 68.30%
42.67%
40% 60%
Percent of Deaths

Percent of Deaths
30%
40%

20%

20% 16.52%
10%
5.33% 7.14%
2.22% 1.33% 1.33% 0.44% 0.44% 0.44% 2.23% 1.79% 1.34% 1.34% 0.89% 0.45%
0% 0%
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Additional Data Notes and Limitations

1. Cause of death may have intricate complexities and interpretations.
2. The numbers presented in this summary reflect deaths reported to the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) as required by CRS 30-10-606 (not every
death in the City and County of Denver is reported to OME, just those required by statute).
3. Numbers may vary from other statewide data due to differences in reporting and coding.
4. Drug-related deaths can include a manner of natural, accident, suicide, homicide, and undetermined. The manner of death is the determination of how the injury
or disease lead to the death, whereas cause of death is the specific injury or disease that lead to the death.

Footnotes
3. The place of death is where the decedent actually expired (e.g. died on the street). The place of injury is where the injury occurred prior to death (e.g. car accident location). The category
"Unknown" in the Location of Injury chart represents cases where OME is not able to determine the location of injury (e.g. where substances were consumed). 1/1
12/4/2020 Summary Page 1_2020

Drug-Related Deaths in the City & County of Denver

Data Source: Denver Department of Public Health & Environment, Office of the Medical Examiner
2020 Summary as of 12/04/2020

HISTORICAL TRENDS (2008-2019) - Overdose deaths have decreased in Denver on average over the last decade. Small recent increases
fall within the normal variation of the data series. Deaths with Methamphetamine on board and with Fentanyl on board are increasing.

YEAR TO DATE - The total number of drug related deaths in Denver in 2019 was 225. In 2020 so far, there have been 284 drug
related deaths.

Denver Drug-Related Deaths Per 100,000 Methamphetamine Involved Deaths per 100,000 Fentanyl Involved Deaths per 100,000
Residents

# of Deaths (per 100,000)

# of Deaths (per 100,000)

40 4
# of Deaths (per 100,00…

6
3
4
20 2

2
1

0 0 0
2010 2015 2020 2010 2015 2020 2010 2015 2020
Year Year Year

Drug Related Deaths By Month Total Drug-Related Deaths (Jan-Dec)

2020 as of 12/04/2020 284
2018 2019 2020
2019 225
2018 209
# of Deaths

20
2019 Monthly
Average

0
2 4 6 8 10 12
Month 1/1
12/4/2020 Summary Page 2_2020

2020 data as of 12/04/2020

POLYSUBSTANCE USE - The majority of drug overdose deaths in Denver involve multiple Number of Drugs Present 2020
substances found in the deceased’s system, i.e. toxicology. In 2020 so far:

Percent of Deaths
40%
- 60% of deaths involved 3 or more drugs in the deceased's system.
20% 23%
18% 19% 18%
- 18% of deaths involved 5 or more drugs in the deceased's system. 20%

1%
0%
0 1 2 3 4 5+
Drug Count
DRUGS PRESENT (see footnote 2) - In 2020 so far, some type of Opioid was present in the
deceased’s system (including heroin) in 64% of drug-related deaths in Denver. In 2020 so
far: Change in Presence of Substances Over Time
- 56% had prescription type opioids (not including heroin), compared to 41% in
2019.
50%
- 5% had heroin present but not prescription opioids, compared to 8% in 2019. Methamphetamine

Percent
Heroin
- Methamphetamine has been present in 42% of deaths, compared to 41% in 2019.
Fentanyl
- Denver has seen a rise in Fentanyl-related deaths between 2018 and 2020. In
2019, 25% of deaths had Fentanyl on board, compared to 9% in 2018. In 2020 so 0%
2010 2015 2020
far, 43% of deaths have had Fentanyl on board.

Was Decedent Experiencing Homelessness 2020

100%
HOUSING STATUS - The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner investigators determine 81.69%

Percent of Deaths
that the majority of people (82%) who died from a probable drug-overdose were not
experiencing homelessness (see footnote 3). 50%
18.31%

0%
Yes No

2. These data represent deaths in which the specified drugs were present in specimens examined. Each death may have had other contributing factors.
3. Determining homeless status is not an exact science. This determination is based on OME investigators’ classification after extensive research into an individual’s life. 1/1
12/4/2020 Summary Page 3_2020

2020 data as of 12/04/2020

LOCATIONS (see footnote 3) - Most drug related deaths occur in private residences or hospitals. In 2020 so far:
- 64% of deaths occurred in private residences; roughly 18% occurred in a hospital.
- Only 11% of deaths occurred outdoors.

Place of Injury Place of Death

year 2020 year 2020
80% 74.65% 64.08%
60%

Percent of Deaths
60%
Percent of Deaths

40%

40%
20% 17.61%
10.92%
16.90% 5.28%
20% 1.06% 0.70% 0.35%
0%
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1.41% sid
e s d mo us
in e Sh
e
1.06% 0.35% Ho ut el/ B nC
Re O t
tio
0% Ho ita
bil
Unknown Residence Outdoors Vehicle Hotel/motel Transit ha
Re
Station

Additional Data Notes and Limitations

1. Cause of death may have intricate complexities and interpretations.
2. The numbers presented in this summary reflect deaths reported to the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner (OME) as required by CRS 30-10-606 (not every
death in the City and County of Denver is reported to OME, just those required by statute).
3. Numbers may vary from other statewide data due to differences in reporting and coding.
4. Drug-related deaths can include a manner of natural, accident, suicide, homicide, and undetermined. The manner of death is the determination of how the injury
or disease lead to the death, whereas cause of death is the specific injury or disease that lead to the death.

Footnotes
3. The place of death is where the decedent actually expired (e.g. died on the street). The place of injury is where the injury occurred prior to death (e.g. car accident location). The category
"Unknown" in the Location of Injury chart represents cases where OME is not able to determine the location of injury (e.g. where substances were consumed). 1/1