SANTA MONICA—A possible drug overdose that transpired in Santa Monica on Tuesday, July 5, that left one person dead and another hospitalized is being investigated.
Two men were found lying down behind the location of a public bathroom in Palisades Park. One of them was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was transported to a hospital.
Drug paraphernalia was found at the scene. It is currently unknown what caused the death or the hospitalization. Officers do not suspect foul play.
According to the Department of Public Health, tainted drugs are contributing to overdose deaths.
In May 2022, a group of teenagers died of an overdose after they purchase a container of pills, crushed and then snorted them. According to reports, the group thought they purchased ecstasy but discovered that the pills had been laced with fentanyl.
In a statement from the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, “fentanyl and methamphetamine-related overdose deaths have increased in Los Angeles County since the pandemic and continue to rise at an alarming rate.”
Health officials urged people to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose, including loss of consciousness, pinpoint pupils, erratic heart rate, muscle spasms and seizures. They also encourage people who are going to use drugs not to do them alone as a safety precaution.
Naloxone, which is also known as ‘Narcan,’ rapidly reverses an opioid overdoes and is available through pharmacies, often without a prescription. The county Department of Health Services also offers naloxone at locations available online at: www.laodprevention.org/naloxone.
