Two town hall-style public meetings on issues related to use of the drug fentanyl are scheduled for October in the Gig Harbor area.

The sessions, hosted by the city, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and Rotary Club of Gig Harbor, will be on Oct. 7 at Gig Harbor Civic Center and Oct 21 at Key Peninsula Civic Center, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. In addition to a presentation, representatives of police and drug treatment programs will be on hand for questions and answers.

Fentanyl in particular and opioids in general will be covered, including community safety and emergency treatment of overdosed users, said County Councilwoman Robyn Denson.

The county’s Emergency Medical System responded to more than 3,000 suspected opioid overdose calls between January 2023 and May 2024. “Most of them were fentanyl related,” said Denson, whose council district includes Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, Ruston, Fox Island, and part of Tacoma.

Officials noted that elders are at risk of non-fatal opioid-related overdoses caused by compromised health, multiple medications, and therapeutic error.