United States Drug Enforcement Administration

The King County Medical Examiner’s (KCME) Office reported that deaths caused by drugs increased to their highest levels in 2016 in both Seattle and King County, Washington. The majority (63 percent) of the 360 deaths were caused by opioids. The opioids responsible for the overdose deaths were opium derivatives such as morphine and heroin, but also included oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methadone. In addition, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, fentanyl-related compounds, and U-47700 were also found.