An increased number of opioid related overdoses has Yuma County officials alarmed.

According to the Yuma County Sheriff's Office the majority of the overdoses have stemmed from counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. According to YCSO there were 33 suspected overdose deaths in 2018 and 47 in 2019. As of the first week of September this year , there have been 43 suspected overdose deaths in Yuma County. 

Fentanyl is an opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine. The drug is being mixed with other chemicals and pressed into pills that look almost identical to legitimate medications such as hydrocodone , Xanax , or other medications prescribed for pain or anxiety. It is believed the counterfeit pills are produced and supplied by Mexican drug cartels. A lethal dose of fentanyl is approximately 2 to 3 milligrams , equivalent to a few grains of salt.