Fentanyl-related deaths in Dallas County have dropped by more than half, signaling potential progress in the ongoing opioid crisis, according to the newly released 2025 Threat Assessment by the Texoma High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
While fentanyl remained the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal overdoses in 2024, the county reported approximately 140 fentanyl-related deaths through November—down from 282 in 2023.
Officials attribute the decline to intensified prevention strategies, including opioid response teams, peer navigators in emergency departments, and widespread public education campaigns…