Local overdoses trend downward

Paul B. Johnson, The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·2 min read

Jan. 28—HIGH POINT — Addiction counselor Donna Lingle said she finally has a reason for some optimism amid the yearslong campaign to counter the rash of drug overdoses.

Local overdoses and overdose deaths handled by the High Point Police Department declined.

There were 200 overdoses last year, down from the 251 overdoses in 2021, and 10 deaths, down from 28 in 2021, police said.

Through this past Monday, there were seven overdoses so far in January, down from 15 during the same period last year, according to police. There were no overdose deaths this month or last January.

The declines may show that steps taken locally to counter the crisis are beginning to make a difference, said Lingle, a community outreach representative and clinical supervisor with the addiction recovery center TruHealing High Point.

Lingle said greater access to Narcan, which blocks the effects of opiates on the brain and restores breathing, allows more people who have overdosed to survive. Treatment centers in the area also have become more adept at helping people address and overcome addiction, and perhaps more patients are receiving therapy to deal with personal crises rather than turning to drug use, Lingle told The High Point Enterprise.

The trend in High Point runs counter to what the state as a whole has seen.

The number of opioid overdose deaths in North Carolina rose in 2022 for the fourth straight year, according to a recent report from the N.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The turnaround in High Point overdose numbers takes place amid a wider effort in Guilford County to tackle the opioid crisis.

Five years ago, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners launched the Guilford County Solution to the Opioid Problem, known as GCSTOP, a partnership between Guilford County Emergency Services and UNC Greensboro.

GCSTOP is billed as a comprehensive effort to address opioid addiction countywide. The campaign has featured promoting the use and availability of Narcan, identifying people most at risk for opioid abuse, conducting community health education programs and coordinating resources with community partner agencies and groups.

The organization maintains a Facebook page — www.facebook.com/GCSTOP/ — to keep the public informed about its activites and serve as a clearinghouse for information.

"The backing and support of communities and the government are a big help," Lingle said.

Addiction remains a major problem, she said, "but we might be on the upswing."

pjohnson@hpenews.com — 336-888-3528 — @HPEpaul