WEST MONORE, La. (KTVE/KARD)- Recently the CDC awarded Louisiana $4.6 million dollars to provide critical support for community efforts to prevent drug overdose. The $4.6 million dollars is part of a $279 million national initiative called Overdose Data to Action or (OD2A) designed to help Louisiana expand harm reduction strategies.
Some of these strategies include supplying Narcan and fentanyl strips. According to the CDC, in 2021 the drug overdose death rate was 55.9 per 100,000 people here in Louisiana.
If you had 615 plus variables around the context and circumstances of all drug overdoses deaths in Louisiana it can really tell a story about what is driving the outcomes.
Dr. Grant Baldwin, Director of division of overdose prevention, CDC
According to the CDC since 2021 Louisiana has had over 2,400 deaths are related to drug overdoses a 37% percent increase since June of 2019. In 2022, 64.9% of suspected drug-related fatalities in Louisiana involved fentanyl.
If I could just get parents to understand how important this issue is. I think Narcan needs to be in every house in Monroe and west Monroe because we do not know what our children are doing and Narcan could save your child’s life if an emergency should arise.
Dr. Craig Comanche, Owner of Good News Counseling, Monroe
Louisiana currently has 11 total opioid treatment programs in the state.
