18+ Overdose Deaths In Lake County In February – Coroner Sends Alert Out
Eighteen overdose deaths in 28 days for this month of February, stated Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey. 11 were opiod related. (Awaiting toxicology on several more) Heroin, fentanyl and cocaine are taking the lives of those that we love, Frey stressed.
FOUR RULES to follow for those using opioids to save their lives. Drug overdose is a preventable death.
1. Never use alone.
2. Always carry Narcan.
3. Go slow, even if you have a habit. (You cannot cut fentanyl like you cut heroin the density will prevent even disbursement)
4. Since you’re not using alone wait 30 min between use with the other person.
If free narcan is not available near you there is a mailing service that will ship it to you at www.nextdistro.org Since never using alone is not always an option there is a 24/7 call center called NEVER USE ALONE www.neverusealone.com 1-800-484-3731. An operator will stay on the phone with someone while they use and if they become vocally unresponsive 911 will be called and the person overdosing is legally protected by 911 Good Sam Immunity Laws (if you’re state has one). From 2016 to 2017, the state of Indiana had the third highest rate increase of opioid related overdose deaths in the United States. In 2017, there were over 1,800 identified overdose deaths in our state. 17,200 drug overdose deaths in United States in 2017.
Sadly, our overdose death rate in Lake County is not minimizing, Frey said. We need to continue prevention efforts with our youth and educate those with an opioid addiction on safe use.
I would be very happy to help share with centers, schools, rehabs and even jail facilities about over dose epic due to me losing son to overdose and noone helping him and let others be aware and alert of how quick it can take your life. If anyone aware on how to get info to me to speak out voices need to be heard.
Actually, we get them on the first attempt with needle in and tourniquet still on arm.
So the “Rules”on how to use are misleading.
Bottom line, seek help to NEVER use again. It is possible to get clean! Narcotics anonymous can make a difference if you want to get clean.
This is taking out wonderful people all over the world.
Today is the day to get sober!
Instead of Never Use Alone campaign, we need to help the families of the addicts to get these people into recovery, so they don’t die. We should never teach people how to use SAFELY as these are life threatening substances. And narcan serves no purpose as to treating the.origins of addictive habits.As someone in long term recovery as well as an.interventionist, and losing a sister to this disease the solution is to involve the family as this disease involves everyone! Before launching a campaign as ludicrous as this one, consult with people with knowledge. Dont waste our money on this!
I lost my son to heroin. Actually its better that they know the safe way to use. Not all users believe they have a problem. I went through the whole process from beginning to end of my son using. He would call me. except the night he passed away. When he got out of jail and was clean he explained the whole thought process and its a scary thing as you know. But anyway to help keep our loved ones alive until we can get them to realize they have a problem and need help!!!!
Sometimes you don’t know they are an addict. We didn’t know they even used anything at all. That was our case. We didn’t know they were even in the state of Florida. They used alone and died. We are ones also waiting on toxicology but, have been told it was an overdose. We just don’t know what. If someone was with him and they had Narcan he would have maybe still been here to see another day.
That would be great to get them into recovery but, a lot of addicts won’t go because they think they are in control. I think this approach is good to at least be there to help.
Never Use Alone? NEVER USE AGAIN! There is NO SAFE way to use ANY drugs whether it be heroin, pills or cocaine. To tell people there is plainly and simply irresponsible. Recovery is possible because I am here to tell the tale but I am one of few friends left. The disease of addiction should be taken seriously as it often KILLS. I’ve lost many this way. If we misinform the public about “Safe using”, we misinform OUR KIDS AS WELL. Is this the message we want to send our youth?
I didn’t raise either of my kids in this train of thought.
Neither one use drugs despite the long line of addiction in our family.
I agree with you 100%. Having needed to find a rehab for a loved one, Lake County has no affordable rehab center, and no availability. We ended up in Marion County. An addict does not think with logic, the addiction thinks for them, and to say not to use alone is unreasonable and to say to be sure to have narcon, well if they were alone what good is it? Rehab centers. That is what is needed.
For anybody in this comments section who uses opioids or has a loved one struggling with addiction and wants to be prepared for a potential overdose, You can order Narcan for free through https://www.harmreductionohio.org/get-naloxone/.
But until people are mentally ready to quit, they just won’t. They will keep using. I wish saying, “Never use again” were the words to change them but it doesnt work on everybody all the time. So we all know, they WILL use. They will use even when they are desperately trying to quit. This situation is a mess. A nightmare. Because they WILL use, I support the idea of teaching them safety, like calling 911, and having someone with them.
Obviously rehab is the best. And accepting the rehab is best. But right now, there’s people out there, not committed to stopping. It’s unfortunate. But saying not to teach them safety Is like telling people “You don’t need to use safe sex methods, just don’t ever have sex!”
Obviously, the ideal solution would be to stop using. But some are going to use, and some in recovery are going to relapse. You can’t recover if you’re dead. There are no negative effects caused by using harm reduction! This is the same basic principle as a designated driver program for people who drink too much. Harm reduction does not encourage use- it’s a matter of facing the facts and dealing with them!
Hi all! Really wanted to comment on this after reading so many other…comments. I completed my addictions education at columbus state. Over 100+ hours of addictions education.
With that said, I also have a personal history of both siblings being in active addiction. I personally work with Narcan Training. It’s a harm reduction group. And that’s what we need. Harm reduction. Clean needles. Clean water. And Narcan.
People need information, not preaching. So for those who say “how about never use again” that’s like telling teenagers not to have sex. Seriously. People who use drugs will use them, but the whole point of harm reduction is to keep them from getting secondary infections or more harm to themselves.
Did you guys know there’s 12 steps before you ever make a decision? What about M.A.T? Y’all never mentioned that in your comments.
For people who think they know so much and offer so much judgement,you yourselves don’t seem to know much about what your family and friends really need.
Listen people: this is a conviction state, not a recovery state; that is why there is no affordable care for addicts. It would rather spend money on guns and police protection than help anyone addicted to alcohol or drugs. I’ve lived in states like Minnesota, they will provide free rehab if you don’t have the money, they prefer to get you healthy and paying taxes again to help the next man.
Coming from another angle…How many of these overdoses were once getting opiods from a Dr.?I know several people who were getting legal RX’s for years,took as directed,then the DEA stepped in & Dr.s are cutting RX’s.or letting patients go cause their scared of the DEA.Well,when your body is used to a certain amount of opiods for years,when you get “cut”,its not enough to control pain or addiction, soo you go looking on the streets…I think that’s why there are soo many more overdoses going on these days.