Fentanyl Addiction in California (Why It’s Surging & How Treatment Helps)

After a multi-year surge, fentanyl addiction in California may be starting to decline. Still, many people still struggle with addiction and need help.

Contact Bright Future Recovery today to begin fentanyl rehab.

Fentanyl Addiction in California

Fentanyl addiction in California is a serious public health problem that increased dramatically during the past decade. 

It can be difficult to identify the exact number of people who have become addicted to the drug, but experts have been able to follow increases and decreases in its popularity by noting the number of people who died each year due to fentanyl-involved overdoses.

Overdose Deaths in California

Drug overdose deaths throughout the U.S. are tracked by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The NCHS reports overdoses on both a national and state-by-state level, breaking the data down into various categories of substances.

Here’s what the NCHS has reported about opioid-involved overdose deaths in California from 2019-2025: 

2019:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 3,324
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl: 1,727 (52% of all opioid overdose deaths)

2020:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 5,707
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl: 4,195 (73.5%)

2021:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 7,358
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl: 6,411 (87.1%)

2022:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 7,929
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl: 7,045 (89%)

2023:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 8,653
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl: 7,954 (91.9%)

2024:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 5,929
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl: 5,265 (88.8%)

2025:

• Overdose deaths involving all opioids: 5,255
• Overdose deaths involving fentanyl:  4,751 (90.9%)

Important note: The number of fentanyl-related deaths for each year below are taken from the NCHS category of “synthetic opioids not including methadone.” This category is composed almost entirely of fentanyl and its analogs, which is why were are referring to them as fentanyl-involved deaths in this post.

Good News or Bad News?

If you look only at the first and last years in the 2019-2025 range, it looks like overdoses involving fentanyl and other opioids are increasing in California. 

However, while the 2025 data is considerably higher than what the NCHS reported in 2019, it represents a significant decline from 2023, when overdose deaths peaked in the state:

• The 2023 total of 8,653 opioid-involved overdose deaths was a 159.5% increase from 2019. 
• Over that same period, the annual number of fentanyl-involved overdose deaths in California rose by 360%. 
• From 2023-2025, the annual number of all opioid-involved deaths decreased by 39.3%, while the yearly rate of fentanyl-involved overdose deaths fell by 40.1%.

In addition to being good news on its own, the falling overdose rate also suggests that the problem of fentanyl addiction in California is improving as well.

Overdose deaths across the nation

The California data above follows a pattern similar to what occurred across the U.S. during the same time period:

• In 2019, the U.S. had 50,178 opioid-involved overdose deaths, 72.9% of which involved synthetic opioids other than methadone (mainly fentanyl and its analogs).
• From 2019-2022, the annual number of overdose deaths involving fentanyl increased by 104.4%. 
• Nationally, the annual number of opioid-involved deaths peaked in 2022 with a total of 82,851. That year, 90.3% of the opioid deaths involved fentanyl.
• From 2022-2025, the yearly total of fentanyl-involved deaths across the country dropped by 50%, almost returning to the 2019 level. 
• By 2025, the annual number of opioid-involved deaths across the nation had dropped to 43,730, which represented a 47% decrease. 

What Caused the Surge of Fentanyl Addiction in California?

Fentanyl use continues to pose a serious threat in California and throughout the rest of the United States, though the statistics suggest that the problem is not as prevalent as it was just a few years ago. 

While this is clearly good news, it prompts two questions: What caused the surge in the first place, and why has it begun to subside?

Why Did Fentanyl Use Suddenly Surge?

Increased fentanyl use is sometimes referred to as the third wave of the nation’s opioid crisis:

• The first wave, which began in the 1990s, was fueled by a dramatic increase in prescriptions for opioid-based painkillers.
• The second wave begin around 2010, and involved rising rates of heroin use. Experts believe that this wave was a response to a crackdown on prescription painkillers. 
• The third wave, which has been dominated by the use of fentanyl and its analogs, started in the mid-2010s. 

There is no single reason for the fentanyl surge in California and throughout the U.S., but two factors seem to have had a significant influence:

• Starting in the early 2010s, illicit drug manufacturers increased the production and distribution of fentanyl, often combining it with stimulants and other opioids. Fentanyl is cheaper to synthesize and transport than some other drugs, which made it an attractive option to those who were attempting to maximize profits and minimize risk of arrest.
• The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 led to increased fentanyl use, overdoses, and deaths. According to a February 2022 analysis in the Journal of Urban Health, possible reasons for this included elevated stress, reduced access to treatment, and loss of mental health support.

Why Has Fentanyl Use Decreased in Recent Years?

A November 2025 article in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas theorized the recent decline in fentanyl use may be due to factors such as:

• Decreased use of prescription painkillers caused fewer people to become dependent on opioids, which limited the demand for fentanyl and other illicit opioids.
• Once fentanyl replaced heroin as the dominant opioid in the illicit drug market, it reached a saturation point. This meant that fewer people were switching from less powerful opioids to fentanyl, which decreased the risk of overdose.
• Access to naloxone (Narcan) has increased considerably in recent years. Once limited to doctors and first responders, this medication – which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose – is now available to all adults on an over-the-counter basis.

How Can You Eliminate Your Risk of Fentanyl Overdose?

The only way to eliminate your risk of fentanyl overdose is to never use it. If you’ve become addicted to it or any other opioid, it can be extremely difficult to stop on your own. But when you get the help you need, you can achieve this goal.

Due to the intense withdrawal symptoms that are associated with fentanyl addiction, treatment for this condition often includes time in detox. Once you’ve successfully completed withdrawal, you can transfer into residential or outpatient treatment, where you can develop the skills that will help you manage your symptoms and resist relapse.

Remember: There is no single program or type of treatment that’s ideal for everyone who has become addicted to fentanyl or other opioids. What’s most important is finding a treatment provider that will assess the full scope of your needs, then develop a customized plan just for you.

Find Treatment for Fentanyl Addiction in California

Bright Future Recovery is a trusted source of personalized care for adults who have become addicted to fentanyl and other drugs. We also serve clients who have been living with anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring mental health concerns.

Treatment options at our rehab in Northern California include detoxification (detox), a residential program, a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and virtual (online) care. 

In each of these programs you can expect to receive customized treatment and comprehensive support from a team of highly skilled professionals. With our help and a concerted effort on your part, you can end your substance use for good and begin to enjoy a much healthier and more hopeful life in recovery.

To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact page or call us today.