Santa Barbara County’s overdose rate increases, report says

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Santa Barbara County reports an uptick in overdose deaths.

The number of overdose deaths in the county reported in the first six months of 2022 is already nearly 70% of the number reported over the entire year in 2021.

Data released as part of Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown's 'Project Opioid' show that there have already been 91 overdose deaths in the county in the first half of the year, compared to 133 overdose deaths reported over the entire year prior.

The accelerating number of overdose deaths is not a problem unique to Santa Barbara County, as fatal overdoses across the state increased by 79% since 2019, according to data from the Sheriff's Office.