TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — There’s good news from the Federal Government about drug overdose deaths but here at the Pima County Health Department the picture is mixed.
The Federal Centers for Disease Control says once all the stats are compiled, it expects to see overdose deaths down 27 percent for last year.
The CDC credits President Trump declaring illegal drugs a national emergency and gives credit to education and wide availability of Naloxone. It can reverse a drug overdose if given in time.
Pima County Health Director Doctor Theresa Cullen says Pima County drug deaths were down last year too, but since January Pima County drug deaths have been going up.
She says it’s not clear why but describes a team effort with first responders to bring the deaths down.
“I do believe that we need to let people have access to what we call medication assisted treatment, so people that have been using can get away off of the illicit substances that that they are using. That is available for free. The health department, once again, has that available with a phone call.”
Now there’s a dangerous new complication. Fentanyl’s special danger is it is so strong one pill can kill. Now something a hundred times stronger is on Tucson’s streets.
Carfentanil is a drug meant for large animals. It it can look like a regular fentanyl pills. Carfentanil is so powerful naloxone may not be enough to rescue a user from death.
Doctor Cullen hopes drug users will get into treatment either on their own or because friends or family led them there.
