A drug overdose in Ohio grows to record numbers

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Last year, Ohio recorded a record 4,854 deaths, an increase of 20% over the previous year, according to information provided to the state.

Data on unintentional drug deaths provided to the Ohio Department of Health show that 2017 was the eighth consecutive year that drug-related deaths have increased, the Columbus Dispatch reported Sunday. Ohio County coroners recorded 4,050 fatal overdoses in 2016.

The review of the data by the newspaper shows that fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has continued to fuel the drug epidemic, accounting for nearly three quarters of overdose deaths last year and 3431 dead. That was 46% higher than the year before. Deaths from cocaine increased 39% from 1,109 in 2016 to 1,540 last year.

Among the positive news is the 46 deaths per heroin drop to 987 last year, the lowest number of deaths in four years.

The fatal overdoses due to prescription opioids also declined in 2017, dropping to 523, the lowest number in eight years, up from 724 in 2011, the newspaper reported.

Russ Kennedy, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Health, said Ohio had recorded "significant progress in reducing the number of prescription opioids for abuse."

Kennedy confirmed Sunday that the health department plans to release its own analysis of drug-related deaths in 2017 this week. He also noted that the information shows that the number of unintentional overdose deaths in Ohio decreased by 23% in the second half of 2017.

A recent state report on drug trends says "drug cartels flooded Ohio" with fentanyl, and many users do not realize they have been using heroin and cocaine , and even

"Drug traffickers are flooding communities with different drugs to see what they are taking in. They are very smart business people," said Lori Criss, CEO of the Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers.

Cheri Walter, CEO of the Ohio Association of Health Behavioral Authorities of Ohio, said the toll of victims was high, but that it could have been much worse.

"The reality is that we have focused on opioids and heroin, and now we see more deaths involving other drugs, so we need to (broaden) our attention on treatment" for all kinds of dependencies, said Walter.

The administration of Governor John Kasich spends more than $ 1 billion a year fighting the drug epidemic, primarily to provide addiction treatment through Medicaid's expansion. The government is also investing in providing the opioid overdose antidote, naloxone, first responders and others, as well as supporting efforts, including drug courts, drug convalescence and educational programs.

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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com