CLEVELAND — In a positive twist to the opioid epidemic, Ohio is seeing a decline in overdose deaths over the past year.
Harm Reduction Ohio, a drug policy group, reports a 30% decline in overdose deaths over this time last year.
Dr. David Streem, a psychiatrist with Cleveland Clinic Lutheran and medical director of the Alcohol and Drug Recovery Center, says while the actual reason is still elusive common sense points to awareness and safety measures that have become common practice.
The overdose reversal drug naloxone is routinely carried by first responders and is easily accessible by substance users and available in pharmacies as well.
Fentanyl testing strips that can tell a user if their drug is contaminated with fentanyl are also easily available and now legal in Ohio.
Dr. Streem also points to peer services. A certification program started in Ohio where people who've gone through recovery can become licensed and paid to be on call as emergency support when someone comes into the emergency department or center needing guidance to help get into addiction recovery.
While the decline is promising, Dr. Streem is concerned about another drug heading into the Midwest. The non-opioid xylazine animal sedative known as "tranq" that's being mixed into the fentanyl and other street drug supply.
There have been overdose deaths related to the drug in our region, but not many. The fear is that may change.
Learn more about the drug HERE.