One year ago today, Sept. 1, we launched an ambitious project to make a difference in our community.
In 2023, The Dallas Morning News tapped dozens of journalists from around our newsroom to report nearly 50 stories on the threat of fentanyl in North Texas. The stories tackled the stigma, the science, the misinformation, the difficulty in mapping and tracking deaths and the determination of people desperately trying to save those poisoned or addicted.
We named the series “Deadly Fake” and published stories each day of the month on our website, in print and in a special interactive. Our outreach included social media posts inviting the community to respond and tell us their stories, some of which fueled additional reporting. We also published several audio reports to bring the audience deeper into our reporting process.
The response was overwhelming. Online readership eclipsed six figures — and continues to grow. Your letters were gripping, emotional and thankful.
We were encouraged to do more. In December 2023, The News and NewsRadio 1080 KRLD held a community event to continue the conversation. A mother and father who lost a son to fentanyl, a Dallas City Council member and News reporters spoke at KRLD’s auditorium in Dallas about how the North Texas community can prevent fentanyl overdose deaths and accidental poisonings.
We also printed a special edition of our most useful stories from the “Deadly Fake” series and distributed more than 85,000 copies to almost 100 middle schools in Dallas County. The section included a pull-out poster with facts and information such as how to administer naloxone, a life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose if administered in time.
A year later, we wish we could tell you the problem was solved, or even dramatically improved. It’s quite the opposite. Our reporter Matt Kyle wrote just two weeks ago about a report from Dallas County Health and Human Services and the Recovery Resource Council that fentanyl continues to be the dominant drug involved in overdose-related deaths. And the number of overdoses and deaths keeps rising.
So while our series might have ended a year ago, we will continue to write about fentanyl’s impact and to press for solutions. We have a story today from science writer Miriam Fauzia about progress on the fentanyl vaccine we first told you about last year. We’ll also be bringing back some of our most impactful stories from the series throughout the month online with updates from our reporters. And, of course, you can access all of our “Deadly Fake” stories online or go directly to dallasnews.com/deadlyfake.
Our mission remains both urgent and simple: Help save lives.