Nantucket cocaine levels found to be above national average in wastewater data
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Nantucket may be the perfect summer destination for New England coastal weather, but new data shows the famously picturesque island off the coast of Massachusetts isn’t without some flaws.
Latest wastewater surveillance reports once again show that, as before, cocaine levels in sewage were well above the national average from July 2025 to February 2026.
In October, levels rose to 2,948.70 nanograms per litre, while the national average remained below 1,000 nanograms.
HIV EPIDEMIC EXPLODES IN POPULAR HONEYMOON SUPPORT AS CRYSTAL METH USE INCREASES
The same report shows there was another increase of 2,815.50 nanograms per liter on Nantucket in December, while the national average was just over 1,000 nanograms.
Fox News Digital reached out to the town of Nantucket for comment, which cited the publicly available dashboard with relevant data. “Nantucket, like communities across the country, is not immune to the growing public health crisis of substance abuse and overdoses,” the town’s website said.
Nantucket, off the coast of Massachusetts, wastewater surveillance shows cocaine levels nearly three times the national average. (iStock)
He also said, “With its seasonal population that can quadruple during the summer months, the town faces a unique challenge in managing behavioral health risks with limited but consistent resources.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
According to Cape and Islands, a local publication, visitors averaged 40,000 on most days in July and August in 2021-2022; On the busiest days, over 60,000 visitors were hosted.
In October 2025, cocaine levels rose to 2,948.70 nanograms per litre, while the national average remained below 1,000 nanograms. (iStock)
The same tests found below-average levels of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid blamed for overdoses across the country.
There was another increase of 2,815.50 nanograms per liter of cocaine on Nantucket in December, with the national average just over 1,000 nanograms. (Town and County of Nantucket)
“During COVID, many of these communities and most communities decided it was important to start testing the waters to see if there was any uptick in Covid in the area,” Randolph Rice, a Maryland attorney and legal analyst, previously told Fox News Digital.
CLICK FOR MORE LIFE STORIES
“But what Nantucket decided to do, starting at the beginning of the summer, is to start testing other types of substances within the system there, specifically opiates, nicotine and other substances. And what they found was high levels of cocaine,” Rice added.
The town of Nantucket attracts celebrities, millionaires and billionaires. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)
Nantucket attracts celebrities, millionaires and billionaires with its countless attractions.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Former New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick Sold his house in Nantucket in August for $4 million, Fox Business recently reported.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
According to multiple reports, former President Joe Biden and his family travel to the island almost every year to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.
