New Report, New Plan to Fight NY's Suburban Opioid Epidemic

A new report about the drug epidemic in New York includes data for Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Westchester and Ulster counties that troubles local officials and has led to a new war on drugs by the New York Attorney General. “By the Numbers: The Growing Drug Epidemic in New York,” an April 2017 report published by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, described the rise in drug-related deaths in New York, like most of the country. While it has been felt across the state, suburban and upstate communities have been hit particularly hard.

To cope with the rising problem, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the launch of the Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (“S.U.R.G.E.”) Initiative.

"With overdose deaths on the rise and federal funding for drug prevention on the chopping block, the S.U.R.G.E Initiative will be an important part of my office’s multipronged approach to fighting the expansive and violent heroin and opioid distribution networks across New York State," Schneiderman said in a press release April 27.

States are grappling with drug addiction, especially prescription drugs, heroin, and dangerous synthetic drugs, like fentanyl. The epidemic has strained state and local resources, from healthcare facilities to law enforcement, the report said.

Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe attributed much of the growth to the greed of pharmaceutical companies.

"The opioid epidemic is one of the most serious health problems affecting New York today. In Rockland County, despite enhanced law enforcement efforts and aggressive new prevention and treatment initiatives, we have witnessed a 60% increase in overdose deaths in just the past two years," said Zugibe, President of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York (DAASNY), in the press release. "This 'pipeline to death' can be largely attributed to the greed of the pharmaceutical companies that dispense opioid analgesics, creating a new generation of drug addicts who ultimately turn to the illicit drug trade for their highs. Gangs and dealers prey on these addicts, and often violently defend their 'turfs.' I am grateful that the Attorney General has turned the resources of his office to this fight. I and other DAs across the state look forward to working with him on this important initiative."

New York is not in the worst shape. Looking only at 2015, New York State was down at 34th in the

nation in drug-related deaths. Compare that to West Virginia, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Kentucky, and Ohio — they had drug-related death rates more than twice as high as New York’s, according to the researchers.

Still, it's a rate that's climbing sharply. Between 2010 and 2015, 14,173 people died from drugs in New York. In contrast, 9,754 people suffered drug-related deaths in the preceding six years (2004-2009). The largest increases were upstate or in the suburbs outside of New York City, with the greatest increases in Erie, Onondaga, Ulster, Westchester, and Oneida Counties.

The report looked at 17 counties for which there was complete data, including Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Ulster and Westchester counties in the Hudson Valley.

“This is a serious issue that is plaguing our community,” said Kingston Mayor Steve Noble. “The heroin epidemic knows no bounds; those who are battling with this terrible addiction come from a variety of backgrounds and yet these individuals and their families share in common the consequences of this debilitating disease.”

Of those five, Dutchess County was singled out in the report for having the highest drug-related death rate of any New York county during three of the five years analyzed (2010, 2012, and 2013).

Overall, from 2010-15, in Orange County, drug deaths increased by 17 percent from 2010 to 2015. In that time frame in Dutchess, drug deaths increased by 10 percent. In Rockland, drug deaths increased by 85 percent. In Ulster County, drug deaths increased by 133 percent. In Westchester, drug deaths increased by 129 percent.

"The White Plains Department of Public Safety has been working to proactively address drug abuse, and specifically opioid abuse, in our community," White Plains Public Safety Commissioner David Chong said in the press release. "The Department recently launched the CLEAR initiative, aimed at assisting those who want to overcome addiction get the help they need without judgement or fear. We thank AG Schneiderman for providing these resources to local law enforcement. By specifically targeting those who deal heroin he has given us another means of combating the opioid epidemic."

Poughkeepsie Police Chief Tom Pape agreed.

“We are pleased to partner with the Attorney General’s office in this initiative that combats opioid addiction and heroin trafficking. Opioid addiction is a nationwide crisis and certainly a concern in the Poughkeepsie area. We look forward to partnering on this important initiative,” Pape said.

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