Maine Director of Opioid Response Gordon Smith was on the WGAN Morning News today to discuss Maine’s latest report on the opioid crisis.  The report shows that the proportion of fatal overdoses has averaged 7% of total overdoses over the course of 2021 and stayed at that level for the first five months of 2022.

The reported average number of overdoses per month through the first five months of 2022 was 792, with an average of 53 fatal cases.  It’s worth noting that the proportion of fatalities in January-May of 2022 is 9% higher than the first five months of 2021.

Additional data showed that of all the overdoses in Maine through the first five months of 2022, 23% reported community reversals, meaning someone administered Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan.  Gordon Smith said on the WGAN Morning News that the uptick in people carrying Narcan has likely saved hundreds of lives over the past year and encourages anyone who is interested in getting Narcan to visit their local pharmacy, where insurance usually covers Narcan.  You can also visit getmainealoxone.com to learn more.

Smith also warned about the dangers of fentanyl laced drugs and noted that testing your drugs prior to use is one of the biggest life-saving tips he can give.  Test strips are available in bulk online or through community harm prevention programs.

You can listen to our full interview with Gordon Smith below