Investigators Reveal 2,000 Massachusetts Residents Died from Opioid Overdoses Last Year

If it wasn’t for the state’s involvement with the addiction crisis, health experts believe opioid overdoses would have claimed even more lives.

According to the latest findings, no less than 2,000 addicts died from opioid overdoses in 2016 alone in Massachusetts, in spite of multiple campaigns to halt drug use, painkiller abuse, and widespread awareness of the devastating effects brought on by the state’s addiction crisis.

In the report released by the state Department of Health on Friday, February 17^th, coroners confirmed drug-related deaths in 1,465 of the total cases and suspected 514 more died of health complications associated with drug abuse. The report further states that opioid overdoses killed five times more Massachusetts residents than car crashes.

Main Culprits

Health experts say that the main culprit behind the string of deaths associated with drug abuse is a substance called fentanyl, which could be observed in an increasing number of cases even as heroin-related deaths steadily declined. Researchers say that synthetic fentanyl is up to 100 times more potent than heroin.

Authorities investigating illegal opioid distribution and manufacturing within the state’s borders say dealers oftentimes mix this powerful substance with other opioids for a more potent effect. Moreover, fentanyl can also be marketed as an alternative of heroin or mixed with it.

Authorities’ Opinion on the Current Situation

While the public may be shocked about the latest findings, the news comes as little of a surprise for state’s public health commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel who says the results are not unexpected. However, she says she remains positive the situation will take a turn for the better in the future, thanks to the state’s programs and restrictions aimed at the problem, especially measures that combat excessive opioid prescribing, campaigns against stigma, and 500 treatment beds. Nevertheless, she is conscious of the fact completely eradicating the problem will take even more effort and more time.

At the same time, there are others that believe the surge in opioid-related deaths does not necessarily point to an increased number of people on drugs, but rather to the addicts’ inability to comprehend the negative effects of fentanyl. Hence, in spite of the state officials’ restrictions and safety measures, the deadly substance gained a lot of popularity on the black market recently and is outrunning the state’s efforts, says Boston Medical center’s addiction specialist, Dr. Alexander Walley. Even so, if the state would never have gotten involved with the issue, the situation would have been even worse, said Dr. Walley.

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About the Author

About Cliff Jenkins Scott

Cliff likes to describe himself as made for the hard road. Freelancing is taking off across the world. And yet, valuable opportunities are hard to find he thinks, particularly when it comes to writing. After graduating with an MA degree in Communication as a major and Technology and Writing as minors, Cliff decided to give his own website hosting creative writing a boost and engage in an overwhelming number of projects, all of them focused on writing. He didn’t look for a quick burnout, but his eagerness to learn as much as possible as rapidly as possible kept him going.