Health Care

VT opioid overdose deaths have doubled since 2019, Health Dept. says

The number of accidental opioid deaths increased by 10% in Vermont in 2022 (239) from 2021 (217). They have more than doubled since 2019 (114), the Journal-Opinion daily newsletter reports.

The findings were published yesterday in a report (pdf) by the Vermont Department of Health. While Fentanyl was involved in 93% of 2022’s fatal overdoses, the muscle relaxant gabapentin and xylazine, a veterinary drug, are increasingly present. Officials warn Narcan may not be as effective in reversing overdoses when gabapentin and xylazine are present.

There were 13 opioid-related overdose deaths in Caledonia County and 10 in Orange County in 2022 up from one in each county in 2010.

The total number of opioid and non-opioid overdose deaths in Vermont have skyrocketed (see figure below) since 2010.

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12 replies »

  1. This is what can be expected in a liberal state where victimhood is celebrated and fashionable. If you dont display any of the traditional oppression victimhoods like being non-white, LGBT+, a physical handicap etc. You can just use opioids recreationally, inevitably get addicted and voila…instant victimhood status. Our progressive society will crawl on glass to accommodate and pander to you. Just make sure that your addiction of choice is not to nicotine, as those addicts get nothing but second-class citizen treatment for some reason.
    As for the overdose deaths, at least we have some elements of Darwinism left in our coddled society…a real consequence for irresponsible behavior.

  2. ‘Accidental opioid deaths’. Now there’s a presumptuous assessment, if there ever was one.

    First of all, where’s the polling data? How many respondents replied in the VT Dept. of Health (VTDOH) sample?

    And keep in mind, the VDOH are the folks who brought you the Covid statistics that misled people into believing the various vaccines were effective.

    Yes, there is truth in that ‘The total number of opioid and non-opioid overdose deaths in Vermont have skyrocketed’. But they aren’t, necessarily, accidental. Vermonters appear to have a death wish. And Vermont’s legislators are enabling this dystopian, psychopathic behavior with various paradoxical or oxymoronic titled legislation.

    E.G., The Reproductive Liberty Amendment. The ‘Death with Dignity’ Law. The Independent School Accountability and Oversight Act.

    Again, it is certain – opioid deaths are rising and will likely increase – but not accidentally.

  3. Courtesy of Biden’s open border policy allowing enough fentanyl coming in to kill thousands of Americans.

  4. I fully appreciate the fact that a number of years ago physicians regularly over prescribed opioid painkillers, I think we are past that now. So I wish someone could tell me why with the info and the example of others why someone wakes up and decides to take that first hit of Heroin to begin with.

    • When your provider is “feelings” orientated rather than responsible use of prescription that has been effective for years and provides quality of life ,suddenly discontinues it because somehow that’s solving the opiate “problem” and as a responsible chronic pain patient you have two options. Suicide or heroin.

      CDC and FDA have issued warnings to providers about this. The data on why seniors are turning to Suicide or Heroin after their provider stops medicine that allowed them to live.

      Remember. They want us dead anyway. And if one survives heroin, there’s big money flowing into treatment.

  5. Well, the democrats in charge and things are always getting worse. Why do you entrenched democrats just try electing all republicans for a term and see how much better life can be. You might find out you are really a republican and never knew it.

  6. Not to fear, we have a legislature that is willing to approve a mere $700K (according to NPR this past week) so that junkies can have their H tested for Xylene prior to injecting in a safe space, with no repercussion from any authorities concerning illegal drug use. All in the name of science of course.

    • …and if a junkie is at the “safe injection site” jonesing to shoot up and the test comes back that there is “xylene” in his stash, he may instead decide to just go home and read a book? Is the next suggestion by an up and coming progressive in the VT legislature going to be that we taxpayers provide clean opioids along with the clean needles, for the sake of “harm reduction”?

  7. Natural selection, I’m sorry but no one is forcing them to do it. Apparently all the treatment and needle exchange programs are not working and a waste of money, so when they od for the 2nd 3rd time in a week don’t waste the narcam let them go.

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