By Grace Gallowitz
TAMPA, Fla. — After years of rising numbers in opioid-related deaths, a new data study shows these fatalities are declining in the Tampa Bay area.
“For the first time actually in a while, we’ve seen the first significant trend of a decrease,” said William Sullivan Angulo, the communications director for Live Tampa Bay. “Which is exciting because what we’re seeing are the early numbers specifically for the first half of 2024.”
Live Tampa Bay works to reduce opioid deaths through data analysis, community partnerships, and initiatives aimed at improving access to resources and treatment.
“We’re currently, from the data we’ve been able to aggregate, looking at approximately a 9.4% reduction down from the pandemic era,” said Angulo.
The factors that contribute to the reported decrease are diverse, according to Angulo. Naloxone, a drug used to treat opioid overdoses, has become more widely distributed and available. Community outreach efforts and greater access to drug addiction treatment have also been developed.
“We know that Narcan is one of the most effective interventions that we can make in terms of providing it and making it readily available and training people so that they feel comfortable administering it,” said Angulo. “Because it’s much about the availability; it’s also about employees at a business feeling comfortable administering it.”
However, there are gaps in the approach of using Narcan. It could limit its long-term effectiveness. Angulo said that while Narcan is more widely available, not everyone knows how to use it or feels comfortable administering it in an emergency.
“We know that Narcan is one of the most effective interventions that we can make right, in terms of providing it and making it readily available and training people so that they feel comfortable administering it,” said Angulo.
To reduce repeat overdoses, organizations like Live Tampa Bay and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay are conducting public training sessions to educate people on recognizing overdoses and properly administering Narcan.
The Tampa Bay Partnership, which tracks regional health statistics, reported that Tampa Bay’s opioid overdose rate was significantly higher than both the state and national averages in previous years.
After three years of relative stability, overdose fatality rates rose again in 2019 and 2020. According to the Tampa Bay Partnership, many of the Tampa Bay region’s eight counties had a greater spike in opioid deaths in the first half of 2021 than in 2020.
“Over the period from 2019, with 310 overdoses, we increased to 634, which was our peak in 2022,” said Dr. Kelly Devers, medical examiner for Hillsborough County.
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay’s TransCare Medical Transportation Division also launched a new community paramedicine program to provide free support for substance use disorder.
Paramedics will deliver medication-assisted treatment (MAT), including daily buprenorphine doses, alongside behavioral therapy to help treat opioid addiction.
“We’re optimistic that this is trending downward and we’ll keep trending downward,” said Devers. “It seems like the fentanyl test strips and the Narcan are really making a big difference because Narcan is now pretty widely available and it’s, you know, passed around in different groups.”
While the decrease in fatalities has been shown, experts warn that continued efforts are necessary. Fentanyl remains a major concern, as it is still the leading cause of overdose deaths.
“So for us that seems to be where the downward trend is coming from. So I’m hoping that that will continue,” said Devers.
The drop in opioid deaths is encouraging, but experts said the issue is far from finished.
Local organizations advocate for more funding and community engagement to guarantee that harm reduction strategies reach people in need.
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Photo courtesy of Leah Burdick.