Taunton sees ‘very alarming’ spike in opioid ODs, deaths in 2018 – News – The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

TAUNTON — Compared to 2017, both the numbers of opioid-related overdoses and deaths increased in Taunton in 2018.

According to 2018 opioid overdose statistics compiled by Taunton Police Department Crime Analyst Jennifer Bastille, there were 292 opioid-related overdoses last year, 46 of which were confirmed by the state Medical Examiner’s Office as resulting in fatalities.

As the first year in which fatal overdoses were recorded every month since the department began compiling statistics in 2014, 2018’s numbers represent increases of 23 overdoses (9 percent) and 10 deaths (33 percent) compared to 2017.

“The (fatality) number was very alarming to see,” said city councilor and social worker Barry Sanders, who also serves on the Taunton Opiate and Substance Use Task Force.

“That’s the highest number we’ve seen in Taunton, ever.”

Other members of the task force that a Gazette reporter reached out to for further context regarding last year’s statistics declined to comment.

While 2018 overdose numbers increased compared to 2017, statistics provided by Bastille for this year have shown a decrease compared to the last.

As of April 18 this year, the numbers of opioid overdoses and related fatalities have trended downward compared to the same timeframe last year, according to Bastille.

By that time, Bastille said that there had been more than 45 non-fatal overdoses and three fatal overdoses in the city; last year, there were 94 overdoses and 16 overdose deaths recorded by the end of April.

During the same timeframe in 2017, however, there were 41 non-fatal overdoses and no recorded opioid-related fatalities.

Fatal opioid overdoses in 2018

The majority of the 46 fatal opioid-related overdoses last year were confirmed as having been caused by the use of fentanyl in conjunction with at least one other substance.

Of the 46 deaths, 38 were confirmed as having been caused by the use of fentanyl, and the majority of cases reportedly involved the use of at least one other substance.

Eight other opioid overdose deaths were not caused by fentanyl use; two involved the synthetic opioid methadone, one of which also included the use of the benzodiazepine Klonopin and the antidepressant citalopram.

The exact drugs used in two specific overdose deaths were not listed, and two other deaths in which fentanyl was not listed were caused as the result of acute cocaine and methamphetamine intoxication, respectively.

At least two deaths involved the use of the substance 4-ANPP, which is used as a precursor in the synthesis of fentanyl, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Seven deaths were reported as having involved the consumption of ethanol; Bastille said that some cases involved carfentanil, an opioid that is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more potent than morphine, according to the DEA.

Twenty-nine men lost their lives as a result of opioid-related overdoses last year, along with 17 women.

An age breakdown of those who died as a result of opioid overdoses last year in Taunton shows that 11 were those in their 20s, 12 individuals were in their 30s, 10 in their 40s, eight in their 50s and five were in their 60s.

According to the statistics, nobody under the age of 19 died as a result of an opioid overdose last year.

Non-fatal opioid overdoses in 2018

The majority of the 294 cases of non-fatal overdoses in 2017 involved white males (174), while 97 white females were also reported to have suffered overdoses.

Last year, individuals aged in their thirties were found to be the age group with the highest number of opioid-related overdoses (107), although those in their forties saw the greatest increase (15) of all groups compared to 2017 for a total of 36.

There were 251 non-fatal overdoses reported among individuals from the ages of 20 to 49, with 34 reported among those aged 50 or older.

Four overdoses involving teenagers under the age of 19 were recorded last year, which is half the number of those reported the previous year.

“The bottom line is that (opioid addiction) continues to be a serious problem in Taunton,” said Sanders.

“Our ultimate goal is to keep people alive and get people into recovery. Clearly, there’s still work to be done.”