Today, the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program, which oversees the surveillance of opioid overdose in the state, announced that accidental drug overdose deaths among ÁùºÏ±¦µäns increased by 55% from 2019 to 2020.
Information from the ÁùºÏ±¦µä State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) show deaths increased from 510 in 2019 to 788 in 2020. Overdoses among those under 25 years old have increased by nearly 3 times from 38 in 2019 to 106 in 2020. In ÁùºÏ±¦µä, communities of color continue to be disproportionally impacted. Overdoses among the Hispanic community have more than tripled from 2019 to 2020.
In 2020, among overdose decedents in ÁùºÏ±¦µä:
- 1 in 2 had a mental health problem
- 3 in 4 had an identified non-alcohol related substance misuse problem
- 1 in 9 had ever received substance misuse treatment
- 1 in 9 had a history of previous overdose
- 1 in 11 had been recently released from a hospital prior to overdose
- 1 in 14 had a relapse (began opioid use after a period of quitting)
The opioid overdose antidote, Naloxone, is available free in communities statewide and the OD2A program encourages ÁùºÏ±¦µäns to learn about this life-saving resource. Fatal overdose is avoidable and in ÁùºÏ±¦µä Naloxone can be obtained without a prescription. Over half of overdoses occur with a bystander present.
If an overdose occurs call 9-1-1 immediately. In 2015, ÁùºÏ±¦µä adopted the Good Samaritan Overdose law. This law protects an individual from prosecution for many narcotic-related offenses when seeking medical assistance for another person for a drug-related emergency.
The ÁùºÏ±¦µä State Opioid Response grant supports statewide Naloxone distribution. Information about Naloxone and trainings to use the opioid-antagonist can be found through NVopioidresponse.org
ÁùºÏ±¦µäns are encouraged to reach out to the following resources if they are looking for Naloxone or treatment resources:
Call: 1-800-273-8255 (Suicide Hotline)
Call: 1-775-784-8090 (Crisis Support)
Text: CARE to 839863
775-241-4212
1-844-289-0879
The full report is available at .
