The map above reflects deaths from heroin in Manchester between Dec. 2014 to April 2015, as the trend in drug ODs shows no signs of slowing. Each pin is clickable and reports locations by date, special circumstances, and amount of Narcan administered. Source: Google Maps
MANCHESTER, NH – It is that time of year when Chief Medical Examiner Thomas Andrew releases the grim statistics quantifying the cost of our state’s current epidemic of drug addiction. In 2014 New Hampshire lost 325 people to drug overdoses.
That’s up by 68 percent from 2013, when the state recorded 193 deaths related to drug overdoses.
According to a story by New Hampshire Public Radio, 48 of those deaths occurred in Manchester, and the largest contributor to those drug deaths was a narcotic called fentanyl. Used most commonly as a post-operative pain killer in measured doses, it is a powerful and potentially deadly pharmaceutical when injected or ingested by unsuspecting heroin addicts, who have purchased fentanyl-laced heroin, or pure fentanyl passed off as heroin, according to the story.
State statistics for 2014 show that fentanyl was present in 145 overdose victims, or about 45 percent of the total lives lost, making it “public enemy No. 1, and fentanyl alone was cited as the cause of death in 76 cases, compared to 40 deaths attributed to heroin, NHPR reports.
You can read the full story here, which is well worth the read.
Thomas reports that while Manchester suffered the greatest loss of life, drug overdose deaths were spread across 100 municipalities.
You’re one click away! Sign up for our free eNewsletter and never miss another thing
