PROVIDENCE – Accidental overdose deaths have risen by roughly 22% year over year in the first quarter, according to provisional data released by the R.I. Department of Health on Tuesday.
The department said it anticipates that there will have been between 93 and 95 people who died of accidental overdoses in the first three months of the year, compared with 77 one year prior, and 66 in the first quarter of 2018.
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RIDOH partially attributed the increase to the prevalence of lethal synthetic opioids in the state, such as carfentanil. The department also cited the impact of COVID-19, which limited access to resources and support for people with substance abuse disorders.
“Illicit drugs have always been dangerous, but right now they are more deadly than ever,” Director of Health Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said in statement. “If you do use drugs, do not use alone, and make sure that your friends and family have naloxone available. Steps like these can save a life and give someone an opportunity to take the first step on their own personal journey of recovery. There is hope for everyone because recovery is absolutely possible for everyone.”
Accidental overdose deaths in Rhode Island peaked in 2016, when 336 people died of overdoses, and have been trending modestly downward since, RIDOH said. In 2019, 308 Rhode Islanders died of accidental overdoses.
So far in 2020, there have been 129 accidental overdose deaths, although the number reflects provisional data and RIDOH noted that a lag time in confirming drug overdose deaths means the figure isn’t useful as a year over year comparison.
“The COVID-19 crisis has made it more challenging for people with substance use disorder to stay connected to life-saving resources and support,” said Kathryn Power, director of the R.I. Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals. “Polysubstance use, including the use of stimulants [such as] methamphetamine, cocaine and crack-cocaine, are also on the rise. It is even more critical to leverage the collaborative efforts of Gov. [Gina M.] Raimondo’s Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force to address this emerging trend.”
