SAFE GC Coalition:Why Do Opioid Overdose Deaths Happen in Spurts?

In some very specific cases underlying causes for multiple overdose
deaths in a short period of time comes from high potency opioids such as
the painkiller fentanyl. The introduction of fentanyl in a community
leaves an overwhelming number of overdose deaths in a short period of
time. An addict often gets use to the feelings from the drug, so it
takes more and more of the drug to produce the same levels of pain
relief.

According to a CNN report focusing on Ohio, one of the top five
states with the largest opioid overdose deaths, in 2018 Cuyahoga County
saw seven people die in about 24 hours from overdoses. This incident
made headlines and rising concerns. This was just one of many counties
that have had many individuals die in a short period time from
overdoses. Already this year, more than 60% of the autopsies conducted
at the Montgomery County Coroner's office in Ohio involved drug overdose
deaths -- and the office is running out of room for the bodies. Many of
these overdoses were related to the abuse of opioids, a class of drugs
that includes powerful prescription painkillers and heroin.

Why do so many opioid overdose deaths across the country appear to occur at once? Experts warn that the answer is more complicated than it may seem.
Nicholas King, an associate professor at McGill University in Montreal
who has studied the factors behind increased opioid-related deaths in
the United States and Canada feels we shouldn't assume that such deaths
are necessarily linked, cautioned. "We know from historical experience
with so-called 'cancer clusters' that in many cases the clustering is
either the result of confirmation bias, or is simply the result of
random chance”.

Dr. David Fiellin, a professor at Yale University of medicine who conducts research on opioid treatment strategies, maintains what happens in individuals who have opioid use disorder is,
their level of physical tolerance develops to the point where they are
rarely continuing to use opioids for the high or euphoria. They are
oftentimes using the opioids to help with the withdrawal. Survivors of
opioid overdoses are at more of a risk to repeat events and have a fatal
overdose. In some very specific cases, we can identify an underlying
cause for multiple opioid overdoses in a short period of time: for
example, after the appearance of an illegal drug with unusually high
potency.

When a very high-potency opioid, such as the painkiller
fentanyl, enters a community, that introduction alone could spawn an
overwhelming number of overdose deaths in a short time span. It is the
extent to which these high-potency opioids are being distributed within
the illicit drug markets and people who are using opioids might
congregate in certain communities in an attempt to purchase
higher-potency versions when they are available.

To read more about this news report please visit
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/national/why-opiod-overdose-deaths-see....

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is joining in the fight against this
epidemic by conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled,
"Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," in order to educate and update the community
regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE
Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.