Fentanyl-related deaths in Orange County have dropped to their lowest level in five years, in large part due to Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer’s aggressive and effective strategy to combat this deadly crisis. Fentanyl is reportedly 60 to 100 times more potent than morphine, and some analogues may be as much as 10,000 times stronger. JUST TWO MILLIGRAMS—ABOUT THE SIZE OF TWO GRAINS OF SAND, OR THE TIP OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S NOSE ON A PENNY—CAN KILL YOU. It’s cheap, it’s easy to get, and it’s killing our children, our friends, and our neighbors. Not because victims thought they were taking fentanyl and took too much—but because the pills they took looked just like Oxycontin, Xanax, and Percocet. Instead, they were fentanyl, mass-produced by criminal networks to intentionally deceive and destroy. Rich. Poor. Black. White. Brown. Men. Women. Kids. Hard-core drug users. First-time experimenters. Fentanyl will kill you.
Between 2021 and 2024, fentanyl-related deaths dropped by 43.2%, reflecting the impact of our enforcement efforts. In 2024 alone, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office charged nearly 600 fentanyl dealers.
District Attorney Todd Spitzer’s proactive approach included adopting a fentanyl advisement in 2021 which warned drug dealers that if they sold drugs again and someone died as a result they could be charged with murder. Three years later, California voters made the fentanyl admonishment state law when they overwhelmingly approved Alexandra’s Law as part of Prop. 36, with District Attorney Todd Spitzer helping lead the charge for Prop. 36 to restore accountability for repeat thieves, drug dealers, and drug addicts. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office also cross-designated prosecutors to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where drug traffickers face significantly harsher federal penalties, including lengthy mandatory minimum sentences.
Every prosecution of a fentanyl dealer – whether in state or federal court – reduces the risk of another tragic death as a result of fentanyl. These are not overdoses; they are murders. Our prosecutors remain committed to holding these individuals accountable and protecting our community. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office is not going to let these drug dealers get away with murder.
This progress is also driven by a coordinated effort that combines enforcement with education. Our “One Pill Will Kill” public awareness campaign continues to inform the public about the dangers of fentanyl, while our prosecutors work tirelessly behind the scenes. Together, these efforts are saving lives – one pill at a time.
You are hereby advised that the unlawful manufacture, sale, or furnishing of any controlled substance poses grave health risks to those who ingest it, are exposed to it, or are affected by its manufacture. It is extremely dangerous to human life to unlawfully manufacture, sell, or furnish any controlled substance. In addition to the danger posed by the suspected controlled substance being sold or furnished, unbeknownst to the seller or furnisher, the controlled substance may contain other controlled substances, such as fentanyl, that significantly increase the threat to human life. If you manufacture, sell, or furnish any controlled substance, and a person dies as a result of ingesting it, being exposed to it, or its manufacture, you may be charged with murder.
