Gov. Matt Bevin called the rising drug problem “an epidemic in America” while responding to a report issued Wednesday that showed drug overdose deaths in 2017 to be 11 percent more than the previous year in Kentucky.
“This is an epidemic in America,” Bevin said. “That word is used often, but it’s not used lightly. You have people you know and are surprised, but it also happens to tens of thousands of other people who are not so well known.”
Fatal overdoses totaled 1,565 last year, an increase of 11.5 percent over 2016, according to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy’s 2017 Overdose Death Report.
Toxicology reports were available for 1,468 of the fatal overdose, the report said.
Fentanyl was a factor in approximately 52 percent of the toxicology cases, or 763 deaths. That’s up from roughly 47 percent in 2016.
Heroin was a factor in close to 22 percent, down from 34 percent in the previous year. In total, 327 people had heroin in their system when they died.
The report shows that at least three other drugs have overtaken heroin among deaths that underwent toxicology. Alprazolam, available under the trade name Xanax, was detected in approximately 34 percent of cases and gabapentin, commonly known as Neurontin, was detected in 29 percent. A resurgence of methamphetamine contributed to more than double last year’s total – about 28 percent of the deaths.
The governor said the highly addictive nature of opioids was why he helped push for legislation in Kentucky that restricts initial prescriptions to a three-day supply, which he hopes becomes a national standard.
“While that’s not the only on-ramp, that is a primary on-ramp for a lot of people who find themselves addicted to opioids,” he said.
Some of the other findings of the report include:
- People ages 35 to 44 were the largest demographic in overdose deaths. Followed by 45 to 54.
- Autopsies and toxicology reports from coroners show that approximately 22 percent of overdose deaths involved the use of heroin in 2017, down from 34 percent in 2016.
- Fentanyl was involved in 763 Kentucky resident overdose deaths. That accounts for 52 percent of all deaths, up from 47 percent in 2016.
- Jefferson County had the most overdose deaths of any county with 426, up from 364 in the 2016 report.
- The largest increase in overdose fatalities occurred in Jefferson County, where deaths increased by 62, from 364 deaths in 2016. Other counties with significant increases include Fayette County by 49, Campbell County by 26, and Kenton County by 17.
The largest decrease occurred in Madison County, which had 9 fewer fatalities in 2017 compared to the previous year. Other counties with significant declines include Bell County, which declined by 10; and Knox County, which declined by 8. Breathitt and Scott Counties declined by 6.
Using data from the Kentucky Medical Examiner and coroner reports, the top five counties for overdose deaths by county, per 100,000 residents were:
1) Kenton County 69.50
2) Campbell County 66.00
3) Boyd County 64.60
4) Mason County 58.20
5) Jessamine County 56.50
The top five counties for heroin-related overdose deaths:
1) Jefferson County 135
2) Fayette County 42
3) Campbell County 18
4) Kenton County 16
5) Boone County 11
The top five counties for fentanyl-related deaths:
1) Jefferson County 274
2) Fayette County 112
3) Kenton County 52
4) Campbell County 41
5) Boone County 29
By Kentucky Today
