Drug overdose deaths rise in U.S. and Ohio

SANDUSKY — Drug overdose deaths have been increasing nationally and in Ohio, but they have been falling in Erie County, new reports show. Preliminary data from federal and state agencies shows that drug overdoses jumped nationally and also in Ohio in 2021. But a new report from the Erie County Health Department reveals a significant drop last year in Erie County. While there have been many different efforts by local health officials and governments to deal with the drug overdose epidemic, probably the aggressive local effort to make free naloxone available has been decisive in reducing drug deaths, said Pete Schade, Erie County's health commissioner. Provisional data released last week by the CDC emphasizes how overdose drug deaths in the U.S. went up about 15% from 2020 to 2021. The CDC believes that when the final numbers are in, it will show nearly 108,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021. Ohio Department of Health data, updated in April, shows 5,083 drug overdose deaths in Ohio in 2021 — a new state record — up from 5,017 in 2020. According to Harm Reduction Ohio, Ohio's final mortality figure for 2021 is likely to increase. "The overdose death toll for 2021 will grow larger before the final tally is made. Additional deaths from late in the year are still being confirmed and added to the mortality data, which is finalized in August or September. Based on reporting for previous years, another 100 to 200 deaths will be added to the overdose total, bringing the death count to 5,200 or so," the organization states at its website. On the local front Meanwhile, the county health department recently issued a new report, "Overdose Fatality Review Board Summary," which discusses overdose deaths in Erie County. The report shows that drug overdose deaths in Erie County fell from 36 in 2020 to 22 in 2021, a decline of 14. The report doesn't offer an explanation for the drop in local drug deaths, but Erie County officials have tried to be aggressive in addressing the drug problem. The Erie County commissioners, for example, have pushed to expand the circle of care of people needing treatment, including purchasing a building across the street from the health department — on Superior Street in Sandusky — that became Becky's House, a residential drug treatment facility for women. Working with partners, the health department sends out drug overdose response teams to contact people who have suffered non-fatal drug overdoses, asking them to consider getting drug treatment. The health department opened a detox center several years ago to help people take the first step in recovering, Sandusky Artisans remains active in downtown Sandusky, and the Erie County ADAMHS board makes sure everyone can get treatment regardless of ability to pay. But probably a step that has had the biggest impact on saving lives has been the health department's efforts to distribute free naloxone, sold under the trade name Narcan, which is used to revive people who have overdosed on drugs, Schade said. Local residents can order it from the health department's website or can call the health department. "Clearly, that impact has saved dozens of lives," Schade said. "It gives people a fighting chance to recover." The health department's new report sheds light on who is dying of drug overdoses in Erie County. For example, 15 of the people who died were male, while seven were female. "Approximately 41% of our total victims (were) in the 35-44 age range, with nearly 73% in the 25-54 age range," it states. "Additionally, 100% of our overdose fatalities were white, non-Hispanic." Follow these tips Many of the people who died had criminal records and had spent time in jail. At least 86% of the people who died from drug overdoses had multiple drugs in their body, with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, often listed as one of the drugs. Here are the harm reduction steps which are urged by the health department in an effort to reduce drug deaths: • If you have a substance abuse problem with narcotics, or if someone in your family or circle of friends has a problem, consider obtaining free naloxone from the Erie County Health Department and learning how to use it. "You can call us, we'll meet you and train you, get it to you any way we have to," Schade said. "We encourage grandparents to get it if somebody in their family might be using and struggling with addiction." • If you do use hard drugs, consider "using slow" and erring on the side of caution in your doses. This is also good advice for people who drink alcohol or who consume marijuana, officials said. • Never use hard drugs while you are alone. It is much safer to use them in the presence of other people. Many people die of drug overdoses because they aren't found until it's too late to revive them.