January 27th, 2018 by WCBC Radio

The Maryland Department of Health today released data for unintentional fatal overdoses through the third quarter of 2017- and there was some encouraging news locally.  During this nine-month period, which encompasses January through September of 2017, there were 1,501 opioid-related deaths in the state, including 1,173 fentanyl-related deaths. The largest increases in overdose deaths continue to be related to fentanyl and from cocaine use combined with opioids, however there has been a slight decline in the overall number of heroin-related and prescription opioid-related deaths when comparing third quarter data for 2016 and 2017.  

In Allegany County there were 31 overdose deaths reported between January and September of 2017- a total of 15 fewer than that same period the previous year.  In Garrett County the numbers were up. After having no fatal overdoses in 2016, there were 7 for the January-September period in 2017.

For the second quarter in a row, the largest increases in overdose deaths continue to be fentanyl-related and from cocaine use combined with opioids. Over the first three quarters of the year, the percentage of opioid-related deaths involving fentanyl increased from 56 percent of all opioid-related deaths in 2016 to 78 percent in 2017. Throughout 2016, the number of heroin-related deaths exceeded the number of fentanyl-related deaths; this trend has reversed in 2017, with fentanyl-related deaths outpacing heroin-related deaths in each quarter. More than two-thirds of all overdose deaths through September 2017 involved fentanyl.

 The number of fatal cocaine overdoses increased 47 percent in the first nine months of 2017, compared to the same time in 2016. Much of this increase is due to fentanyl being combined with cocaine, often unbeknownst to the user. Fentanyl was present in 50 percent of fatal cocaine overdoses in 2016 and 68 percent in 2017, for the period of January through September.

 The total number of heroin-related and prescription opioid-related deaths, which were flat in a comparison between the second quarter data for 2016 and 2017, have started to show a slight drop. Through the third quarter of 2017, the number of heroin-related deaths fell by 56 when compared to the first three quarters of 2016. Prescription opioid-related deaths fell by 11 during the same period.