Project description:

Deaths by overdoses tied to Fentanyl have skyrocketed in the past few years.  Just a small quantity can be lethal and my don’t even know they are taking it. We explain in this special how it has expanded and its connection to the Mexican cartels and China.

Impact reached:

Graphics and data visualization is a fantastic way to inform our audience on any topic.  We are very proud to have been able to convey this important message about fentanyl and its deadly consecuences in a way that easily explained and conveyed our message to all who were able to read our piece.  Many in the hispanic community suffer with this epidemic and it opened many eyes to those who saw it.

Techniques/technologies used:

We researched the CDC database to download several databases of drug induced deaths. We parsed the data using python and php and created comma seperated value files that we then translated to several infographics using, d3.js and adobe illustrator.

What was the hardest part of this project?

The hardest part of the project was navigating the CDC database and finding the correct nomenclature that they use for very specific opioid deaths.  The CDC contains large amounts of information on all kinds of deaths and determining how to find the correct information was a collaberative effort that, although took some doing, was very rewarding in the end.

What can others learn from this project?

Our audience can learn how potent fentanyl is, especially compared with other opioids and narcotics.  They can also see how and why the epidemic of deaths has spiked in recent years.  Also, they can see through maps and corresponding tooltips, where the fentanyl related deaths are more concentrated in the United States.  Finally, they can see how it’s entering the United States through the southern border and from China.

Project links:

www.univision.com/noticias/salud/la-ruleta-rusa-de-los-drogas-una-sola-pastilla-de-este-opioide-puede-ser-mortal