LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — Lorain County Public Health hosted a training session for 20 physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants on how to prescribe medication-assisted treatment, like Narcan (naloxone) for substance abuse disorders after the county saw a recent increase in fentanyl deaths.
Between January and April of 2021, Lorain County saw a 20% increase in opioid overdose deaths compared to the same time frame in 2020, with a recent increase in fentanyl detection in the county as well.
Lorain County Public Health reports that an opioid-related overdose death occurs every 2.5 days in Lorain County.
The training hosted by the health department was also partially in response to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issuing a Public Safety Alert warning Americans that fake prescription pills with fentanyl and methamphetamine are now more available and deadly, with fake pills on the rise across the country.
Lorain County Public Health is offering free naloxone kits to be mailed out, as well as online training, for those who use or spend time around someone who uses opioid drugs or anyone in recovery from an opioid addiction.
To learn more, click here.
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