By DANIELLE ZULKOSKY
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
The number of drug overdoses due to fentanyl is flatlining in Hamilton County.
County Coroner Jeff Jellison said the numbers have stopped increasing dramatically over the last two to three years, but it will take a lot of compassion and work to get that number to zero.
Jellison
Jellison said the last three years have seen drug overdose numbers in the mid to high 30s.
Last year saw 36 confirmed fentanyl overdose deaths, but officials are still processing four pending toxicology reports, so last year will likely be around that range but could end around 40.
“For the overdose deaths, you are beginning to see those (numbers) flatline, but, looking at hospital admission for those overdoses, I am not so sure that flatline exists,” Jellison said.
Jellison credits the low death count, compared to other Indiana counties, to the many resources in Hamilton County.
“In most places in this county, you’re only a five-minute ambulance ride away from a hospital, which is a good thing because the sooner we can get an overdose victim into an emergency room the better,” Jellison said.
The coroner notes the rural areas in Indiana do not have the same luxuries.
“So what I’m hearing from my peers is ‘It’s there and it’s hurting us,’” Jellison said. “And there are people in our community that are unfortunately dying because of fentanyl no matter the efforts of our first responders.”
This decrease is in line with national numbers. Dr. Rahul Gupta, the director of National Drug Control Policy, said the nation is finally seeing a flatline after overdose deaths suddenly increased from 2019 to 2021.
The doctor said, “2024 is the year the president feels we need to double and triple down on our efforts to make sure we are saving every American life that we can.”
Gupta and Jellison said working to decrease overdose deaths is important to save more American lives.
Gupta said, “When we went to medical school we didn’t know what causes addiction. Today we know addiction is a disease. (A disease) we can treat and we can address and help somebody. It is not somebody’s moral failing.”
Jellison said, “Let’s be a little bit more compassionate in our thinking that these are people.”
Gupta says the Biden administration is addressing the global supply of fentanyl by securing a commitment from China for accountability for bad actors all while securing the southern border with technology and staff.
Generally, both experts agree that much of this decrease in overdose deaths comes from the increase in the availability of naloxone nationwide.