Availability of narcan credited with bringing down the number of fatal area overdoses

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The amount of narcan being used in Montgomery County has made a difference in bringing down the number of drug overdoses in the area, a public health official said.

>> Man barricaded in home fires shots at law enforcement

It’s “the availability” of narcan, said Dawn Schwartz, project manager, Community Overdose Action Team, Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County. “And I mentioned earlier about it being at the pharmacy, which is fantastic. It does cost at the pharmacy, if you can afford it and you want to pay for it, that’s great. But we have so many avenues in Montgomery County to get it for free if you cannot afford it.”

Another difference being noted is the number of resources available to people fighting addiction, as well as their loved ones helping to battle the illness.

Awareness of the overdose issue is helping as well. The goal is to get people to the understanding that the problem of overdoses is one that can affect anyone at anytime.

“We have gone from punishing people with substance use disorder to understanding it’s a brain disease to trying to work alongside them,” Schwartz said.

" And nowhere in Montgomery County is anyone saying, you know, continued drug use, we’re OK with it.

“But what we are saying is, you matter. We want you alive, and we’ll do anything we can to get you to the next day, because the next day may be when you really decide that you’re ready for treatment and reach out help.”

As Wednesday has been designated Montgomery County Overdose Awareness Day, programming around the day continues through 8 Wednesday night at Levitt Pavilion, 134 S. Main St., in downtown Dayton. It’s free to the public.

The Community Overdose Action Team has more information regarding resources on its website.

The team, “which seeks to reduce the number of people dying from drug overdoses and drug abuse,” was established in fall 2016 to address the opioid/heroin epidemic in Montgomery County. Montgomery County Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County, and Montgomery County Administration are the lead agencies in the effort to combat the epidemic.

According to Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County:

* Overdoses occurring between January and July 2024 -- 94

* The same period in 2023, the number of overdoses was nearly 200

* The same period in 2022, the number of overdoses was nearly 180

* In 2017, the number of overdose deaths in Montgomery County numbered more than 550

©2024 Cox Media Group