Opiod overdoses causing thousands of deaths yearly
In Wisconsin, there were 1,775 opioid overdose deaths in 2021, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That’s more deaths from opioids than car crashes and the use of heroin, cocaine, meth and abuse of prescription medications, continues to rise.
International Overdose Awareness Day takes place Aug. 31, as a way to share details about how to recognize if someone is experiencing an overdose. The symptoms inluce unresponsiveness or unconsciousness; slow, weak or no breathing; cold or clammy skin; discolored lips or fingernails; and snoring or gurgling sounds.
If someone is unsure if a person is experiencing an overdose, it’s best to assume they are and call 911 immediately.
Getting help quickly or administering NARCAN, if it’s available, may save the person’s life.
A public health advisory, launched in August 2022, continues, because of the increasing number of overdose deaths, especially those involving fentanyl, a synthetic opioid often added to drugs to make them more potent. Fentanyl is 50 times stronger than heroin and up to 100 times stronger than morphine.
Fentanyl is hard to detect, because it can’t be seen, tasted or smelled. Unless a drug is tested or someone says the drug contains fentanyl, users have no idea what they’re taking or how powerful it is, which can often lead to an overdose. Just a speck of fentanyl can be deadly.
Free fentanyl test strips are available across Wisconsin, often through county health departments.
A map of locations where the strips are available and additional tips on how to respond to an overdose, can be found at dhs.wisconsin.gov.
