VENTURA — 1,931 deaths were reported to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office during the 2024 calendar year. Jurisdiction was accepted for 903 of these deaths, requiring further investigation and certification. Postmortem examinations were performed on 701 cases. Of the cases investigated, 200 deaths were due to overdose with illicit drugs medications, alcohol or other substances.
Of the 200 overdose deaths, 183 were accidents, 15 were suicides and two deaths were of undetermined manner. Of these overdose deaths, men accounted for 145 deaths (72.5%) and women accounted for 55 deaths (27.5%).
Noteworthy trends:
- The total number of overdoses in 2024 represents a 24.5% decrease since 2023 and a 30.8% decrease since 2021, when the number of overdoses was the highest in the history of the County.
- The number of fentanyl related overdoses decreased by 36.5% compared to the previous year.
- Methamphetamine related overdoses decreased by 10.6% compared to the previous year.
- The highest number of overdose deaths in 2024 was between ages 31 to 40 years (48 deaths). The highest number of fentanyl overdose deaths was also between ages 31 and 40 (34 deaths).
- The tranquilizer xylazine contributed to three deaths in 2024, which also involved fentanyl.
- The designer drug and illicit benzodiazepine known as bromazolam contributed to five deaths.
- Mitragynine (kratom) contributed to six deaths.