Daily Brief: 2017.2.20

THREAT ANALYSIS

52 overdose-related calls in 32-hours  

Louisville Metro Emergency Services reportedly responded to 52 calls related to overdoses over a 32-hour span. In the previous week, only 25 overdose related-calls were received in the same 32-hour time frame. The majority of the 52 calls were believed to be heroin overdoses, however, paramedics also dealt with overdoses of alcohol, prescription medications and other controlled substances.
(Sources: CNN, CBS News, Washington Post)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that 91 people in the United States die every day from opioid overdose. The five states with the highest rates of death linked to drug overdose were West Virginia (41.5 per 100,000), New Hampshire (34.3 per 100,000), Kentucky (29.9 per 100,000), Ohio (29.9 per 100,000), and Rhode Island (28.2 per 100,000).
(Sources: New York Times, CDC)

ACTION STEPS

  1. Individuals who are physically dependent on abused opioid should seek professional medical help in order to mitigate the risk of overdosing
  2. To prevent death from overdose, people who are at risk for opioid overdose should have access to naloxone and a syringe so that it can be injected into a muscle in the case of overdose.
  3. SAMHSA has an Opioid Prevention Overdose Toolkit that provides important information on opioid overdose and how to use naloxone to save lives.
    (Source: SAMHSA)
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