- Posted
- July 12, 2024
Overdose deaths in Ohio dropped to 9-year-low, experts differ on why
Overdose deaths in Ohio fell to their lowest level since 2015, raising hope after years of a brutal opioid epidemic but also uncertainty over what’s behind the improvement (Source: “Overdose deaths in Ohio reached an 8-year low. Could a drug cartel's 'ban' be the reason?” Cincinnati Enquirer, July 11).
Some credit statewide drug treatment and outreach efforts, particularly those connected to fentanyl. Some point to a decline in fentanyl contamination of other drugs. And some say a drug cartel may be making good on a promise to cut fentanyl production.
Regardless of the reason, those who have worked for years to reduce overdose deaths say the trend is good news. But they want to know why it’s happening, because that could help them fight the problem more effectively in the future.
“What we’re seeing in Ohio...is a good thing,” said Dr. Jeffrey Singer, a surgeon whose research at the Cato Institute focuses on the overdose crisis. “Although I don't think we should pop out the champagne bottles yet.”
The latest overdose estimates are based on Ohio Department of Health data analyzed by Harm Reduction Ohio, a nonprofit that distributes overdose-reversing medication.