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Deaths attributed to drug-related toxicities continued to increase in 2017, according to a report released last month by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Philadelphia Division and the University of Pittsburgh.
Last year, 5,456 drug-related deaths were recorded in Pennsylvania, bringing the overall increase of 65% of these deaths since 2015 – from 26 to 100 people, according to the report of the University of Pennsylvania. Institution called "The Opioid Threat in Pennsylvania" published Oct. 14. .
The southeastern region of the state – which represents the greater metropolitan area of Philadelphia as well as the counties of Berks, Lancaster and Schuylkill – continues to experience more deaths than any other geographic region observed in the report, with 2 388 in 2017. The Southwest region has died with about 1400.
One of the most recent information listed in the report is that fentanyl is most commonly reported in overdose cases (67%). The report shows that the presence of fentanyl has increased 150% since 2015 and is now the most frequently reported drug category in 18 of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania except 18.
Fentanyl without heroin consumption was found in about 2,000 cases in 2017, compared with less than 500 in 2015. Heroin combined with fentanyl was found in about 1,600 cases and heroin without fentanyl has increased from 1,200 in 2015 to 400.
Overall, fentanyl was reported in 3,600 deaths, either as a single drug or in combination with other drugs.
The increase in fentanyl consumption is reflected in the decrease in heroin use among the victims of drug-related deaths, which was found in less than 40% of cases in 2017 compared to 53% two years ago. Heroin was reported in about 2,000 cases last year.
Delaware County is part of the trend in heroin and fentanyl use. The report says that in 2017, more than 70% of drug-related deaths in the county had the presence of fentanyl, compared to 50% of heroin. The presence of fentanyl and heroin in 2015 was 30 and 67%, respectively.
According to the report, the number of county deaths in the last three years has been 648.
The death rate for the county continues to increase slightly, from 33 deaths per 100,000 in 2015 to 46 in 2017, which ranks it 15 in the state. Philadelphia tops the list with the highest drug death rate in 2017, at 77 per 100,000.
The report indicates that heroin comes from Mexican transnational criminal organizations and that the threat of heroin is exacerbated "by the unprecedented proliferation of fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances produced illegally".
Delaware County Attorney Katayoun Copeland said the heroin and fentanyl mix of drug traffickers was "an effort to increase their profit margin" which "can cause an instant overdose and death".
"One of the biggest challenges for law enforcement in the fight against these lethal drugs is to tackle the root of the problem and put an end to the flow of these manufactured illicit drugs." in clandestine laboratories abroad in China, "she said.
Conversely, Mr. Copeland said that the number of deaths in the county dropped to 166 from 185 at the same time last year, but that fentanyl remains an important factor.
"Although our number of drug-related deaths is lower than last year at this time, more and more overdose deaths are a direct result of fentanyl," Copeland said. "According to our medical examiner, the majority of drug-related deaths in Delaware County are related to opioids, with over 50% of the deceased having fentanyl in their system."
Copeland continued, "As Chair of the Heroin Task Force, we recognize that we must continue to reduce the number of deaths and save lives by reducing the demand for these dangerous drugs through the efforts of our team. working group on narcotics, as well as continuing our proactive efforts to take a holistic approach to the opioid crisis through education, prevention and recovery. "
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