KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo County’s Chief Medical official says the death rate from Opioid and other drug overdoses doubled from 2015 to 2016, and they continue to see an average of one overdose death a week in the county.
Dr. William Nettleton breifed Kalamazoo County Commissioners this week on the growing problem and their efforts to reduce the rising number of overdoses.
Dr. Nettleton says while the number of Opioid prescriptions has dropped, he says the introduction of synthetic fentanyl by drug dealers has made it more dangerous and deadly to be addicted these days.
He says they are pursuing a four pronged strategy: Education, controlling the source, treatment and harm reduction by putting Narcan on the street to reverse overdoses, but they are still losing too many lives and only slowing the trend.
