Zero Overdose’s Post

Please join us on Tuesday, August 6th at 3pm EDT/12pm PDT for our webinar Navigating the Fourth Wave of the Overdose Crisis: Understanding National Overdose Trends and Supporting Local Health Departments and their Harm Reduction Partners Meet New Challenges. Registration here: https://lnkd.in/enWPiQh9 In the last year, more data has emerged that the US overdose crisis has moved into its fourth wave. This wave is marked by increased co-involvement of stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine with illicitly manufactured fentanyl. In December 2023, the journal Addiction published a sweeping article Charting the Fourth Wave: Geographic, Temporal, Race/Ethnicity and Demographic Trends in Polysubstance Fentanyl Overdose Deaths in the United States, 2010-2021, detailing the shifting fourth wave of the US overdose crisis. CDC released a preliminary report in a February 2024 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly reporting an increase in overdose deaths from 2020 to 2022 due to illicit fentanyl and stimulant co-involvement. In this webinar, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) will discuss what makes this fourth wave unique, including polysubstance use, geographic and demographic shifts in use, and shifting routes of substance use, as well as tools and resources for LHDs and their harm reduction partners to navigate these shifts and provide meaningful harm reduction resources to communities served. We will also spend time talking about changes in naloxone availability, including new over-the-counter options, new higher dose naloxone products, and compassionate overdose response. Joining this webinar will be Tim Santamour from Florida Harm Reduction Collective and Maya Doe-Simkins from Remedy Alliance to share resources and information on increasing naloxone access, compassionate overdose response, and current drug checking efforts. Feel free to reach out with questions and share with others!

Why Are Women Dying From Opioid Overdoses at Unprecedented Rates? The Face Of The Opioid Crisis Is Changing, And Treatments Need To Catch Up. The opioid epidemic has been steadily snowballing for women in recent years—even though it tends to get less airtime and attention than what’s happening among young men—but it’s now impossible to ignore. From 1999 to 2021, overdoses in women grew 1,608 percent, compared with 1,076 percent for men. And during the COVID-19 pandemic alone, from 2019 to 2021, overdose deaths for women increased by 40 percent. Women of color and mothers have been particularly hard hit. From 2018 to 2021, overdose deaths more than tripled for pregnant and postpartum women between the ages of 35 and 44, according to a November 2023 study from the National Institutes of Health. And drug overdose deaths for Black women nearly tripled from 2015 to 2021, making overdoses the fourth-leading cause of death for Black women, after cancer, heart disease, and COVID-19, per a study from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. Learn more and read the entire Women's Health article by clicking below. https://lnkd.in/gaqVAuph

International Overdose Awareness Day, held annually on August 31, is a global event aimed at raising awareness about drug overdose, remembering those who have died, and acknowledging the grief of families and friends left behind. This day also serves to inform the public about the risk factors and symptoms of overdose, helping to reduce the stigma associated with drug-related deaths. Why This Day Matters According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 500,000 deaths annually are attributable to drug use, and more than 70% of these are related to opioids. International Overdose Awareness Day is a poignant reminder that more work is needed to prevent such tragic losses. Learn more.

From one of my employers: It's a good practice to get rid of old medications every year, and this Saturday is the DEA's National Take-Back Day . In the link below you can put in your zip code and it will give you locations near you where you can dispose of ANY medications you may have laying around--not just controlled substances but any medication whether prescription or over the counter (on site they are all put in an incinerator.) This is so much safer and better than throwing pills/bottles in the trash or flushing old pills down the toilet—both can negatively impact the environment. So look around your drawers and cabinets tonight for old meds and plan to drop them off tomorrow—it's easy and safe! https://lnkd.in/dRGUCz7F Take Back Day The drug overdose epidemic in the United States is a clear and present public health, public safety, and national security threat. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day reflects DEA’s commitment to Americans’ safety and health, encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting. DEA is committed to making our communities safer and healthier, and we can do this by reducing overdoses and overdose deaths. While the community does its part to turn in unneeded medications and remove them from potential harm, we are doing our part to further reduce drug-related violence. On this webpage are resources to help you dispose of unneeded medications in your home, seek treatment for a substance use disorder and learn more about the drug overdose epidemic in the United States. www.dea.gov

Well spoken and on point.

We are seeing a decline in #Opioid overdose fatalities for the first time since the beginning of the #FourthWave. As I travel around country, many have asked about the causes of the reduction. My answer is, “it depends on who you ask.” My friends in treatment point to increased access to #MOUD treatment, friends in prevention point to greater awareness and outreach efforts. Harm reduction experts say that it’s due to massive naloxone distribution, fentanyl testing strips and use in pairs messaging. While colleagues in law enforcement cite suppression and harsh sentencing for distribution. The true answer likely exists in the center of a collective effort to confront this public health crisis. And, while we should celebrate and lift up these efforts, we must also acknowledge that these positive outcomes are not being experienced equitably. Black and Native American teen overdose deaths continue to rise, along with postpartum people and recently incarcerated individuals. These data demonstrate the need for an ongoing comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic.

How do we fix America's Opioid Epidemic? Opioid Stewardship! Listen in to my conversation with Becker's as we discuss what this entails. #opioidstewardship #opioids #mayoclinic https://lnkd.in/eGDGYw2G

🚨 Massachusetts Takes Bold Steps to Combat Overdose Surges! 🚨 In a groundbreaking initiative, Massachusetts is ramping up its efforts to monitor and respond to alarming spikes in daily overdose deaths. Recent research analyzed over 16,000 overdose fatalities from 2017 to 2023, revealing that a significant portion of these tragic events occur during unexpected surges. 📈 🔍 Key Findings: - Spikes in overdose deaths were detected on up to 20.6% of days annually. - These critical days account for over 20% of all overdose fatalities. - Additional deaths on spike days averaged between 3.7 and 6.0 more than typical moving averages. This innovative spike detection method not only highlights immediate crises but also aids public health officials in allocating resources effectively and implementing timely interventions. By focusing on high-risk periods, Massachusetts is setting a powerful example for other states facing similar challenges in the ongoing opioid crisis. 👉 Click the link for more insights into how strategic responses can save lives! #DataDrivenSolutions #Massachusetts #OpioidCrisis #OverdosePrevention #PublicHealth #Publications #MarketAccess #MarketAccessToday

Great op-ed exploring the provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which shows that fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. decreased by 14.5% from June 2023 to June 2024, from 113,154 to 96,801. New York State saw a decline of 15.5% for the same time period, from 6,917 to 5,845. These fatal overdose levels declined to values not seen since May 2022 in New York City and November 2020 in the rest of the state. Much work remains to be done to address the drug overdose epidemic, but this is definitely encouraging. https://lnkd.in/e5hkHUMh

REMINDER 🔴 LIVE CME: Drugs & Bugs: Case-Based Pearls for Integrated SUD-Infectious Diseases Care in the Hospital September 11, 2024 5 PM – 6 PM ET Explore innovative, patient-centered approaches to manage both addiction and infections in hospitalized patients. This ORN Summer 2024 session features Dr. Ayesha Appa, MD, a leading addiction medicine physician. Through a captivating case-based format, Dr. Appa will showcase: • Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Learn how to foster effective teamwork between addiction specialists and infectious disease (ID) experts to deliver comprehensive care. • Harm Reduction in Action: Discover practical strategies for integrating harm reduction principles within acute care settings for patients with substance use disorders (SUD). • Shared Decision-Making: Explore how to empower patients through shared decision-making to reduce barriers to treatment and promote successful outcomes. By attending this session, you will gain valuable insights into: • A holistic approach to patient care addressing both SUD and infectious diseases • Harm reduction interventions to the unique needs of hospitalized patients • Collaboration and trust-building with patients to improve treatment engagement Elevate the quality of care for hospitalized patients with SUD and infections. 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit 1 AOA Category 1A Credit Register today: https://buff.ly/4dYHmlk --- #AOAAM #AddictionMedicine #HarmReduction #AddictionCME #ORN