Attorney General releases January 2021 drug overdose data
The report, compiled by Dr. Marcella Sorg of the University of Maine's Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, showed that 58 deaths were caused by drugs in January of 2021. Of those, 29 are confirmed drug deaths and 29 are suspected drug deaths. The most frequent cause of death in these cases is non-pharmaceutical fentanyl.
In response to the report, Attorney General Aaron M. Frey said, "January's numbers are a stark and tragic reminder of how pervasive and deadly the opioid epidemic is. We must urgently work to connect Mainers who are struggling with substance use disorder with the resources they need to protect them and help them advance in recovery, and we must come together as a community to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control so that barriers to treatment and support are removed."
Frey continued, "Reporting this data more frequently, and eventually adding data for non-fatal overdoses, will enable us to have a better grasp in real-time of the crisis. I am also encouraged by efforts underway from Governor Mills's administration and other stakeholders and am pleased that the report will begin to highlight aspects of the states response to the crisis which merits greater attention."
One such measure Frey noted was the Overdose Prevention Through Intensive Outreach Naloxone and Safety (OPTIONS) initiative. OPTIONS is a coordinated effort of the Maine Office of Behavioral Health (OBH) and other state agencies to improve the health of Mainers using substances through harm reduction strategies, helping them on the road to recovery, and dramatically reducing the number of fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses. More information on OPTIONS can be found at https://knowyouroptions.me.
Attorney General Frey noted that combating drug deaths continues to be a priority of the Office of the Attorney General. He is a member of the Governors Prevention and Recovery Cabinet. The full report from Dr. Sorg is attached.