Opioid outlook for 2018

In the first 19 days of 2018, the Erie County Coroner's office has investigated 12-14 probable drug deaths, according to Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook.

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The Erie County Coroner’s office investigates deaths to determine cause and manor. In 2017, there were 124 drug related deaths in Erie County, but the number of DUI and DUI related deaths have decreased, according to Cook. The full report for 2017 is expected to be released by March, although the report is only useful in determining trends.

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According to Cook, there were “almost no heroin deaths over the summer,” because “we are seeing more and more Fentanyl and cocaine right now.” Fentanyl is cheaper and up to 50 times more powerful than heroin, a substitute that Erie is seeing more due to a push from Detroit, according to Erie Opioid Project group member Tyler Titus. Fentanyl has played a key role in assigning overdose as the leading cause of death for Americans under 50, with overdoses taking the lives of 90 Americans each day on average, according to the New York Times.

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“Because this exploded the way it did, it has cut across all barriers of age, race, gender and everything else,” Cook explained. “Our deaths reflect our lives, and our lives reflect our society,” a phrase often used by Cook to explain the underlying issues of the crisis. According to Cook, many people do not like to hear it, but it needs to be said.

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The power of the statement becomes relevant when looking at past drug abuse patterns in Erie County. In 2012, Erie County was dealing with issues brought upon by the drug bath salts, and while very popular at the time, the drug is rarely a present day concern. “Based on my experience, it would not surprise me to get to the end of 2018 and not hear about Fentanyl and heroin,” Cook began, “it’s possible that by the end of the year there will be something new.”

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There was an increase in drug related deaths after Naloxone, better know as Narcan, became readily available. Many drug users view it as protection, and get revived from an overdose with Narcan 7-9 times prior to death, according to Cook. However, over a two-year period, more than 650 people who overdosed on opioids in Erie County were revived using Narcan, according to a study from the University at Buffalo.

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“I’m hoping we never see numbers like those again,” said Cook, and John Comstock, supervisor and 18 year veteran of the Erie County Office of Drug and Alcohol Abuse agrees.

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Comstock travels around Erie County and beyond to discuss the issue. “For some people, it’s a social thing and they end up getting hooked,” Comstock began, “for others it’s some other issue where they turned to self-medication.”

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The Erie County Office of Drug and Alcohol Abuse has prevention and educational programs, where they survey and assist people with any condition. Recommendations are then made regarding the next possible steps, but according to Comstock, “they have to take the initiative to follow our recommendations.” The assessments and recommendations is based on what the clients say, if they are lying, they are doing themself no good.

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Those who work in the office are “advocates for keeping prescriptions under lock and key,” said Comstock. There is a statewide database to control the distribution of prescription opioids. If a prescription is filled in one area of Pennsylvania, the record it entered into the database, preventing the prescription from being filled at any other location in Pennsylvania until a new prescription is issued. “The harder they become to get, the more likely someone is to look for other sources, turning to street drugs.” according to Comstock. “We started to notice the shift to opioids, especially heroin, about two years ago,” said Comstock. Before this, the office was usually able to get people into treatment within 24 hours, whereas currently there is a waiting list.

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The Erie County Law Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are cracking down on the issue. According to the DEA, when a large amount of opioids are confiscated, it is tested. “It is a lot purer and and stronger than it used to be, now that they are cutting it with Fentanyl.”

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Comstock is keeping a positive attitude, “the hope for 2018 is the number of people we see coming to our office won’t climb.”