(Tulare County Sheriff’s Office through AP, file)
PHOENIX – A disturbing trend was revealed in 2020 in terms of the increase in deaths caused by drug overdose compared to 2019 in Maricopa County.
At the county level, 1,752 overdose deaths were reported in 2020, with another 550 cases under investigation.
This number is almost double the total number of overdose deaths in Maricopa County in 2019, which was 1,078.
The sudden increase from year to year can be followed by a multitude of causes, according to Cheri Oz, who is a special agent in charge of the Phoenix field division for the Drug Enforcement Agency.
One of the reasons Oz said for the increase is the low price of deadly barbiturates, such as fentanyl, which are highly addictive.
“[Fentanyl] is a cheap item to have. It is a cheap medicine to buy. It’s cheap to make. And that it can be put in other drugs, “Oz said. “I think we have accidental addicts and accidental overdoses, because people think they’re buying something else.”
Oz said KTAR 92.3 FM news the fact that drugs such as fentanyl are particularly dangerous because they attract people and are deadly to the user in the long run.
“It’s a good business model that makes you go back to the same supplier because you’re willing to pay any price to continue fueling your addiction,” Oz said.
“It’s a horrible price when you think about what it costs: what your community costs, what your parents cost, what it costs your children. It is a price that no one would pay if they knew how much it really is. “
Oz added that the current COVID-19 pandemic plays a role in the drastic increase in deaths caused by drug overdoses for several reasons, including the lack of social interaction that many currently have.
“We have a new normal that consists of abnormal things, such as not seeing each other or being able to touch other people,” Oz said. “And people develop from personal interaction. When we have none of this, people will look for other ways to meet their needs. “
The increase in the number of overdose deaths in Arizona reflects nationally observed patterns.
A CDC study in early 2020 found that 81,230 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States over a 12-month period ending in May 2020, accounting for the highest number of drug overdoses per year. 12 months period ever recorded.
This increase in overdose deaths has led those like Oz to turn their attention to steps that can be taken at Community level to prevent the further increase in overdose deaths.
Above all, Oz believes those communities should take overdose, teaching people about the risks of drug addiction such as fentanyl.
“And any kind of illicit drugs start out very cheap,” Oz said. “It’s important to educate our children, to educate our communities about the dangers of falling into that trap.”
KTAR News 92.3 Griselda Zetino FM contributed to this report.