Ohio governor sees progress, despite drug toll

While heroin deaths rose, fatalities from fentanyl, a synthetic narcotic 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine, soared to 1,155 past year, more than double the 503 deaths in 2014.

The annual report on unintentional drug overdose deaths released today by the Ohio Department of Health showed the toll from all drugs was 20.5 percent higher than 2014, a disappointment to state officials who have been working for years on many fronts to curb the drug-related carnage.

Statistics provided in a new report issued by the Ohio Department of Health show that unintentional drug overdose deaths in the Valley increased by almost 48% previous year, compared to 2014.

Overall, drug overdose deaths in OH increased from 2,531 in 2014 to 3,050 in 2015.

Richland County’s rate is just below the state at 18 deaths per 100,000 adults. “There were 81 million fewer opioid doses dispensed to OH patients since the state took initiatives to curb opiates, and the number of people who try to get controlled substances from multiple doctors has dramatically decreased”. That’s why OH has increased funding to purchase the drug for first responders through local health departments.

What is fentanyl and why is it killing so many people? .

He also urged interstate cooperation in anti-drug efforts.

Despite an increase in such deaths, Ohio Gov. John Kasich said “we’re beginning to see it’s going to change”.

Born said troopers already have seized 118 pounds of heroin this year, compared to a total of 304 pounds seized from 2010 to 2015. “Also, the percentage of prescription opioid-related deaths compared to all unintentional overdose deaths declined in OH for the fourth straight year”.

“We’re suffering for that generation who never really understood the lethality of that medication”, he said.

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia were among 14 states that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified as having significant drug overdose death rate increases from 2013 to 2014.

Carrel said that Ohio’s addiction epidemic problem can be solved with treatment, intervention, and prevention, but we need to get these people the help they need immediately in order to end these overdose related deaths. Opiate abuse changes brain chemistry and when someone hasn’t used, they become physically sick with extreme vomiting and diarrhea.

Health officials estimate that it is 30-50 times more potent than heroin.

Hurst is unsure whether carfentanil will grow to the problem of fentanyl, but said they continue to monitor it along with other new drugs. Here is a look at deaths in area counties.