New York City health officials have issued a plea to all residents to carry naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
This urgent call comes as the city grapples with a record high number of overdose deaths.
According to recently released data, a staggering 3,026 people died of drug overdoses in NYC in 2022, marking a 12 percent increase from the previous year. The rate of overdose fatalities in the city reached 43.3 per 100,000 residents, the highest ever recorded since data collection began in 2020.
In response to this alarming trend, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has advised all residents to familiarize themselves with the signs of an overdose and carry naloxone. This medication, available as a nasal spray or needle injection, can reverse the effects of opioids such as heroin, methadone, morphine, codeine, and Fentanyl.
Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "No one is spared, even if you think otherwise." The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene offers training sessions to educate individuals on how to administer naloxone, and a list of locations where the medication can be obtained for free is available on their website.
The advisory also highlights the need for individuals who use drugs to avoid doing so alone and to ensure that loved ones do not use drugs alone. Shockingly, 60 percent of fatal overdoses occurred in private homes.
Fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, was present in 81 percent of overdose deaths in NYC last year. This substance has been a major contributor to fatal overdoses in the city for the past five years, being present in nearly 80 percent of cases.
Dr. Vasan concluded by urging families to have open and non-judgmental conversations about the dangers of drug use. "We're all in this together," he emphasized.
In related news, Senators Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.) and Rick Scott (R., Fla.) have introduced the School Access to Naloxone Act, which aims to provide schools with funding for naloxone supplies and training for employees to administer the medication. Senator Scott expressed his concern about the Fentanyl crisis, stating, "Florida has not been spared from this deadly crisis, and neither have our schools."
It is worth noting that in 2021, there were 1,146 adolescent overdose deaths in the United States. Senator Merkley highlighted the urgency of addressing this crisis, particularly in Oregon, which currently has the fastest-growing drug-related death rate among teens nationwide.
Meanwhile, on the second annual Fentanyl Awareness Day, Senator Cory Booker (D., NJ) blocked the Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act of 2023. The bill aimed to address the sentencing disparities related to Fentanyl offenses.
The opioid crisis continues to devastate communities across the United States, with 109,680 fatal overdoses reported in 2022, 79,770 of which involved opioids, according to the CDC. Urgent action is needed to combat this epidemic and save lives.
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