In the News: Drug overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year
The Washington Post, July 14, 2021
Deaths from drug overdoses soared to more than 93,000 last year, a staggering record that reflects the coronavirus pandemic’s toll on efforts to quell the crisis and the continued spread of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in the illegal narcotic supply, the government reported Wednesday.
The death toll jumped by more than 21,000, or nearly 30 percent, from 2019, according to provisional data released by the National Center for Health Statistics, eclipsing the record set that year.
- Opioids, primarily illegal fentanyl, continued to drive the death toll, as they have for years. Overdose deaths involving opioids reached 69,710 in 2020, up from 50,963 in 2019, according to the data. Deaths from methamphetamine and cocaine also rose.
- Nora Volkow, head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in an interview that fentanyl has so thoroughly infiltrated the illegal drug supply that 70 percent of cocaine overdose deaths and 50 percent of methamphetamine overdose deaths also involved fentanyl
- In many cases, she said, users are unaware that their drugs are laced with the powerful painkiller, which can halt breathing even if a minute amount is ingested. In others, users knowingly take multiple drugs. “Most of the deaths are from multiple drugs,” she said.
Learn more:
Drug overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year, The Washington Post, July 14, 2021
Drug overdose deaths in 2020 hit highest number ever recorded, CDC data shows, CNN, July 14, 2021
Spotlight: New Partners in Opioid Overdose Prevention
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
By Kirsti V. Thompson, Director, Give an Hour California
We have all heard the saying “It takes a village." Our story is “It takes a transportation center.” Our new "village" is serving the needs of the Oxnard Transit Center and the surrounding community.
In early 2020, VCBH was contacted by Gold Coast Transportation Services. They shared that a team of bus operators who work in the Oxnard area had concerns about drug use paraphernalia left behind at the Oxnard Transit Center, which is located in downtown Oxnard and is the busiest transportation center in our region. They reached out for our help.
The Overdose Prevention Program was founded in 2014 and offers outreach, training, and access to Overdose Rescue Kits to those who qualify in Ventura County. Ashley Nettles, Program Manager of the Overdose Prevention Program offered training and overdose kits to the Gold Coast team. Since then, a collaborative work group was born! Members from Ventura County Public Health, Oxnard Police Department, VCBH, City of Oxnard, and Gold Coast Transit met virtually several times to identify the issues that were contributing to the problem and brainstorm ways to solve it.
One of the initial issues identified was ensuring that the resources that are available are promoted to those who may benefit from them. Instead of ignoring the problems with drug use and paraphernalia at the Transit Center, or simply calling the police, the collaborative recommended developing an outreach tool that highlights the local social services that could help. A bilingual resource card was developed.
The resource cards are on display at the Oxnard Transit Center and on the buses that travel through that area. Gold Coast drivers and managers have been trained in Opioid Overdose Response, and Opioid Overdose Rescue Kits are now kept on hand at the Transit Center and with Gold Coast Field Managers.
This a new project, and we recognize it is a relatively small step in the big world of substance abuse and homelessness in Ventura County. We also know that it takes true collaboration (a real village!) to get meaningful work accomplished, and we are thankful to all who worked on this initial village building, and will continue to work together to take steps together to address the big issues we face.
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A Conversation with Sergeant John Hajducko, new COAST LEAD from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
What is your role within the VCSO?
I am currently assigned as the sergeant in charge of the Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit of the VCSO Narcotics Bureau. I supervise a team of detectives who are primarily tasked with the investigation of sales, possession and transportation of illegal or counterfeit pharmaceutical drugs and fentanyl. Our unit is also tasked with the investigation of all accidental drug overdoses that occur within the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction.
How long have you been doing this work?
I have been assigned to my current role since May 2021, however I previously worked in a Narcotics as a detective from 2014 to 2018. I have been with Sheriff’s Office for 26 years. In addition to Narcotics, I have held assignments in the Jail, Patrol, Field Training Officer, Crime Suppression Unit, the Sheriff’s Academy and SWAT.
What do you believe the most meaningful work of the COAST Grant has been to date?
I believe its education and really working to pull the opioid crisis out of the dark for the community. Unfortunately, not a lot of people truly know, or even want to know, the devastating effects that drugs have on the community. Many times the feeling is that “if it doesn’t affect me, than why should I care.” But the fact of that matter is that crisis affects us all whether directly or indirectly, and it’s not going away any time soon. From what I have seen so far, I think the COAST grant does a good job of bringing that “invisible” information from the drug overdoses and law enforcement activity behind the scenes, and converts it into searchable data and public education so that the entire community can realize just what a huge problem it is and that it does affect them in some way.
What do you think residents of Ventura County need to know about the opioid crisis in our community?
I think the most important thing to realize is there is not a one dimensional approach that is going to solve this issue. Law enforcement cannot arrest this problem away; the medical field doesn’t have any medicine that is going to cure this; behavioral health cannot change everyone’s thought process and understanding to turn everyone away from drugs; and families don’t always have the support structure and communication skills in place in order to help their loved ones through an issue like this. The only way to get through this crisis is a community approach where all these entities cooperate and mutually support each other in their missions.
Do you want to share anything personal about yourself?
My wife is a high school math teacher and we have a blended family of 6 kids, with the oldest at 20 and the youngest at 5! Prior to joining the Sheriff’s Office, I served in the US Marine Corps. I’m an avid football and hockey fan, and my hobbies include camping, hiking, and motorcycle riding.
FDA Approves Higher Dosage of Naloxone Nasal Spray to Treat Opioid Overdose
FDA News Release, April 30, 2021
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today the approval of a higher dose naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray product to treat opioid overdose. The newly approved product delivers 8 milligrams (mg) of naloxone into the nasal cavity. The FDA had previously approved 2 mg and 4 mg naloxone nasal spray products.
Naloxone is a medicine that can be administered by individuals with or without medical training to help reduce opioid overdose deaths. If naloxone is administered quickly, it can counter the opioid overdose effects, usually within minutes. A higher dose of naloxone provides an additional option in the treatment of opioid overdoses.
“Today’s action meets another critical need in combatting opioid overdose,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Addressing the opioid crisis is a top priority for the FDA, and we will continue our efforts to increase access to naloxone and place this important medicine in the hands of those who need it most.”
Learn more:
COAST Newsletter - April 2021
Every quarter we send out COAST Newsletters to keep you informed about our COAST grant efforts to address the Opioid crisis in Ventura County. Through the COAST grant, Ventura County agencies are working together to reduce illicit opioid supply, decrease opioid demand, and save lives. By sharing and comparing data, we can leverage information, analyze trends, and target resources to respond to this evolving public health crisis. See the April 2021 Newsletter and learn about recent efforts being made by our team.