Charlestown hit by deadly fentanyl overdoses amidst xylazine contamination fears

A string of fatal fentanyl overdoses in Charlestown, possibly due to the mixture of xylazine and other drugs, has rocked the tight-knit community. At least six people have died of fatal overdoses in Charlestown over the past three weeks. The Boston Public Health Commission warns that no drug supply is safe, and that illicit drugs are possibly tainted with fentanyl or other harmful substances, such as xylazine. Despite years of research surrounding harm reduction and prevention resources, over 100,000 people died in the United States from opioid-related deaths in 2022.