Ohio overdose deaths down by nearly one-third in 2024, analysis shows
Ohio overdose deaths have plummeted by nearly one-third in 2024 compared to a year ago, according to a Harm Reduction Ohio analysis of state mortality data. As of August 30, 2024, a total of 1,524 overdose deaths have been recorded in the Ohio Department of Health’s...
Big decrease in overdose death continues in Ohio
Overdose deaths fall by one-third in 2024 Cartel cutback in fentanyl production is reason Overdose deaths in Ohio have continued to decline sharply in the first four months of 2024, a Harm Reduction Ohio analysis of Ohio mortality data finds. The decline extends a...
What about the children? Please help our study on children who lost a parent to overdose death
Survey for adults who, as a child, lost parent to overdose | Respondents compensated for time Harm Reduction Ohio is conducting a study on the effect that losing a parent to overdose death has had on children. We are seeking Ohio residents age 18 to 40 who lost a...
Overdose death falls to 9-year low in Ohio as fentanyl’s presence in drugs ebbs
Ohio drugs safest in a decade | Sinaloa Cartel Curtails fentanyl production Overdose deaths in Ohio have fallen to their lowest level since 2015, continuing a historic drop that began unexpectedly last September. This significant decline appears linked to a June...
Ohio’s Historic Decline in Overdose Deaths – Reported by weeks
Ohio hasn’t had a weekly increase since August 2023 Overdose death on track to drop 50% in early 2024 Screenshot This chart shows how quickly and dramatically overdose deaths have declined in Ohio. Our state last recorded a year-over-year increase in mid-August. Since...
Preliminary 2023 Report: The 20 Ohio counties with highest overdose death rates last year
About 75% of overdose deaths that occurred in Ohio in 2023 have been documented and entered into Ohio’s mortality database. So far, overdose deaths are on track to decline about 4% from the 4,915 overdose deaths recorded in 2022. These 20 counties suffered the highest...
List of All Ohio Syringe Service Programs
Twenty-five counties now have syringe programs : Updated locations, hours and services provided Harm Reduction Ohio staffer Molly Fantini has updated our list of syringe service programs in Ohio. The list includes syringe program locations, hours and...
Drop in overdose death continues in 2024 — and grows larger
Cartel reduces fentanyl production Ohio overdose deaths fall 30%+ on early 2024 Overdose death continues to fall in Ohio at an historic pace. In the span of just a few months, Ohio overdose deaths have dropped from about 400 per month to an average of about 300...
Logan County latest to add a Syringe Service Program
26 Ohio counties now have syringe programs Congratulations to Logan County for becoming the 26th county in Ohio to start a Syringe Service Program (SSP). The Logan County Health District will operate the new program on the first and third Wednesdays of the month from...
Ohio Overdose Deaths Unexpectedly Fall by 25%
Drop in deaths tied to one cartel ending fentanyl production Fentanyl in Ohio’s drug supply falls significantly Overdose deaths in Ohio declined sharply and unexpectedly in the last four months of 2023. Based on nearly complete mortality data, Harm Reduction Ohio...
Fentanyl Test Strip Video Tutorial
Test drugs accurately Four-minute training video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyPZPWvC9U8
UPDATED: List of All Ohio Syringe Service Programs
Twenty-five counties now have syringe programs Updated locations, hours and services provided Harm Reduction Ohio staffer Molly Fantini has updated our list of syringe service programs in Ohio. The list includes syringe program locations, hours and services...
Overdose Deaths in Ohio, By County — 2023 vs. 2022
About 90% of overdose death reports from 2023 have been entered into Ohio’s mortality database. Overall, overdose deaths appear to have fallen about 6% statewide in 2023 vs. 2022. However, significant differences exist by region and between Ohio’s 88 counties....
Ohio overdose deaths decline about 6% in 2023
Most declines in second half of year Overdose deaths still on track to exceed 4,600 GOOD NEWS: Overdose deaths in Ohio appear to have fallen about 6% in 2023, largely because of declines in the rate of fatal overdoses in the last four months of the year. The final...
New CDC Study: 8mg Kloxxado and 4mg Narcan are equally effective
New study: Kloxxado vs. Narcan The Centers for Disease Control published a study today reporting that 8mg nasal naloxone (Kloxxado) has no benefit over 4mg nasal naloxone (Narcan) when measured by survival rates, number of doses received, hospitalization refusals...
Harm Reduction Ohio is hiring for our naloxone program
Naloxone Distribution Specialists Naloxone Program Manager A Day in the Life: HRO’s naloxone shipping operation in action Harm Reduction Ohio (HRO) is hiring three people to work in our statewide naloxone distribution program. The positions are: Naloxone Distribution...
Xylazine Wound Care Guide
Harm Reduction Ohio’s partner NEXT Distro of New York City prepared this Xylazine Wound Care Guide, which can be found here and below. Harm Reduction Ohio published a study January 4, 2024, on xylazine’s frequency in Ohio’s drug supply. That study...
New OSU report: Legal marijuana will generate about $350 million in annual tax revenue in Ohio
Estimated Revenue: $276 million to $404 million in Year 5 Report by Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center The Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center estimates Ohio will receive additional $276 million to $404 million annual...
For many on Sept. 11, 2001, survival was no accident
A USA TODAY examination of the disaster in New York finds that practice drills, the design of the towers and luck saved lives By Dennis CauchonUSA TODAY NEW YORK — George Sleigh, a British-born naval architect, was on the phone in his 91st floor office when he heard...
Harm Reduction Ohio and OneOhio opioid settlement board reach settlement agreement in open meetings lawsuit
Harm Reduction Ohio (HRO) and the OneOhio Recovery Foundation reached a settlement Friday, September 8, 2023, in an open meetings case. OneOhio is a government-created non-profit that will control 55% — $1.1 billion — of Ohio’s $2 billion opioid settlement....
Special Report: Changes in Ohio drug supply from 2013 – 2023
Presence of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and meth detailed Fentanyl’s presence in Ohio’s illegal drug supply remains high and near record levels, although slightly lower so far this year than in 2022. The presence of fentanyl closely tracks the frequency of...
Ohio overdose deaths continue at high pace in 2023
Deaths fall for White residents, increase for Black residents A total of 2,265 overdose deaths of Ohio residents have been confirmed and reported so far in 2023, according to data in the Ohio Department of Health mortality data. That’s almost exactly the same number...
Alisha Nelson named executive director of OneOhio opioid settlement fund
Nelson is longtime DeWine drug policy advisor HRO claims appointment invalid because of open meetings violations Alisha Nelson and Gov. Mike DeWine. (Photo by cleveland.com) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine named his former top drug policy advisor, Alisha Nelson,...
Roadmap to wise spending of opioid settlement funds released
133 organizations nationwide sign onto roadmap Calls for impacted population to be involved in decision The New York Times reports today that early opioid spending has been spent on a mixed bag of programs that is, overall, worrisome. Significant ...
Harm Reduction Ohio asks judge to hold opioid settlement board in contempt of court for violating open meetings order
Temporary Restraining Order issued April 25 to compel compliance OneOhio ignored order, continued to hold secret meetings Harm Reduction Ohio filed a motion today to hold Ohio’s opioid settlement board in contempt of court for violating a court order...
Black Ohioans account for record 21.9% of opioid deaths so far in 2023
The racial composition of opioid overdose death in Ohio has changed completely in just a few years. This chart shows Ohio opioid overdose death, by race, reported from January 1, 2007 through July 26, 2023. Please spend a moment with these numbers. Thanks. For...
Anonymous No More: OneOhio Regional Boards Revealed for First Time
Impacted population poorly represented 226 public officials to be eligible to accept bribes Torria CatroneJournalism Fellow, Harm Reduction Ohio Until now, OneOhio’s regional board members have been virtually anonymous. The...
Ohio overdose deaths decline about 5% in 2022 vs. 2021
Deaths of cocaine and meth users increasingly drive overdose death Heroin and fentanyl-only deaths decline The Ohio Department of Health mortality data report 4,353 confirmed overdose deaths reported so far for 2022. That’s a 5.6% decline from what was reported as of...
Naloxone’s price plummets: Is this the dawn of a new era for the overdose-reversing drug?
Generic version of Narcan drives down price Ohio using savings to improve naloxone strategy Naloxone prices continues to tumble, freeing up pubic health dollars to be spent elsewhere. The price drops will save the state of Ohio millions of dollars in the coming...
What soaring methamphetamine deaths tell us about…
…the cause of the overdose epidemic… …and how to end it This is an important chart. What does it mean? The Black line shows the percentage of overdose deaths in Ohio that involved methamphetamine. In 2010, less than 1% of Ohio overdose deaths involved meth....
Part-time Job Opening: Administrative Assistant at Harm Reduction Ohio
Harm Reduction Ohio is hiring a person to help run our busy office. The job requires an organized yet flexible person who can tasks ranging from tracking income and expenses to shipping naloxone. The job is part-time: up to 20 hours per week. It requires being in...
OneOhio opioid settlement board continues policy of extreme secrecy
The OneOhio opioid settlement board held a quick meeting Wednesday afternoon, ratifying decisions made in secret earlier by board committees and private email chains. The meeting of the 29-member board was scheduled for three hours in Columbus. The meeting...
UPDATE: Harm Reduction Ohio lawsuits against OneOhio opioid settlement board
Cases now in judges’ hands At stake: public’s right to know how opioid settlement funds are spent Harm Reduction Ohio (HRO) filed the final legal brief today in its lawsuit against the OneOhio opioid settlement board for refusing to comply with Ohio public...
Harm Reduction Ohio distributes record numbers of naloxone kits in 2022
Harm Reduction Ohio distributed a record 42,077 naloxone kits in 2022. We started this effort to save lives of people who use drugs from nothing in 2018. We are now Ohio’s largest distributor of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone and one of the largest efforts in...
Harm Reduction Success: Fentanyl test strips legalized; Good Samaritan law expanded
The Ohio legislature approved two important harm reduction measures as part of a large criminal justice bill that received final approval at 6 a.m. Thursday morning, after legislators stayed up all night working. The legislature approved: legalizing fentanyl test...
County commissioner goes from unpaid chairperson to paid head of OneOhio opioid settlement
Ashtabula County Commissioner Kathryn Whittington was hired Wednesday as interim executive director of the OneOhio opioid settlement foundation, which will oversee how $500 million+ in opioid settlement money is spent. Whittington had been the chairperson of the...
Ohio Harm Reduction Conference, November 3-4, 2023
We’re excited to announce the next Ohio Harm Reduction Conference will be at the Granville Inn on November 3-4, 2023. This will be Ohio’s fourth harm reduction conference and the first since 2019, before covid. The Granville Inn and surrounding buildings provide a...
Meth Overdose Deaths in Ohio Soar to Nearly 1,400 in 2021
Methamphetamine overdose deaths continue to soar in Ohio and killed nearly 1,400 Ohio residents in 2021. The increase in fentanyl adulteration in meth — rather than an increase in use — appears to be what’s driving overdose death. (See new study on this.)...
What it means: Final Ohio Overdose Death Numbers for 2021
A look at overdose death by drug The role of fentanyl in overdose death The final overdose death numbers for last year are now complete and available by analyzing the Ohio Department of Health mortality database. In the following charts, Harm Reduction Ohio documents...
Former House Speaker Armond Budish serving on OneOhio opioid settlement board without valid appointment
Former House Speaker Armond Budish is serving on the state’s OneOhio opioid settlement board with no valid appointment or authority to do so. “The fact that an elected official thinks he has the right to participate on the OneOhio board without authority shows how...
Naloxone Kits Provided by State Government, First Six Months of 2022
The state of Ohio provided 82,035 naloxone kits to 148 organizations, including local governments, in the first six months of 2022. The volume is a 17% decline from the same period in 2021, when the state made a big push to distribute the overdose-reversing drug...
OneOhio opioid settlement board to fight for right to operate in secrecy
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation board met Wednesday afternoon to discuss what it should do about two lawsuits filed by Harm Reduction Ohio challenging the foundation refusal to comply with Ohio open meetings and public records laws. The board started its meeting...
How to watch to OneOhio Recovery Foundation meeting online
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation board will meet Wednesday at noon at the County Commissioners Association of Ohio building at 209 E. State Street in Columbus. The 29-member board is a government panel responsible for overseeing a lot of money: 55% of Ohio’s $1 billion...
No talking: Opioid settlement board to let public watch meeting but not speak to board
Sudden change: Board to start meeting in private session Likely to discuss lawsuits for open meetings/public records violations The OneOhio Recovery Foundation board of directors will go into Executive Session (private session) at the start of its noon meeting today....
Harm Reduction Ohio files suit against Ohio’s opioid settlement board for acting in secrecy
Harm Reduction Ohio, a non-profit organization that represents people harmed by opioids, sued the state’s opioid settlement board today for operating secretly and in violation of Ohio open meetings and public records laws. Both Ohio law and the opioid settlement...
Ohio’s State Opioid Response grant: the $97.4 million plan for 2023
New federal opioid response provides $97.4 million to Ohio How will it be spent? How should it be spent? The federal government’s State Opioid Response Grant 3.0 provides a large share of the money Ohio spends to reduce overdose death. Most naloxone (Narcan)...
What naloxone price cuts mean for preventing overdose deaths
The price of naloxone continues to fall dramatically as generics and other competitors to Narcan nasal spray come on the market. The state pharmacy has negotiated a price of $40.21 per kit for a new generic naloxone nasal spray, equivalent to Narcan. To...
Nitazene opioids in Ohio’s Drug Supply: How big a problem?
I was on a call recently in which people were concerned about isotonitazene. In response, HRO did this short report on nitazenes, a class of opioids that includes isotonitazene. — Dennis Cauchon, President, Harm Reduction Ohio Nitazene opioids are a class of drugs...
Overdose deaths of Black Ohioans soar; deaths of White residents decline
Overdose death hit a record level in 2021. But this obscures what’s really happening. Overdose death rates for White residents of Ohio declined in 2021 while overdose death rates for Black residents soared yet again. White Ohio residents suffered an overdose...
Overdose deaths in Ohio decline over six months from record level
Ohio overdose deaths appear to be declining from the historic pace that started in the spring of 2020 when Covid first appeared and the presence of fentanyl soared in Ohio’s drug supply. Based on analysis of preliminary state mortality data, Harm Reduction found...
OneOhio opioid settlement spending off to disastrous start
The state held its first meeting today of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation created to spend the state’s opioid settlement money and prohibited the public from attending the meeting. Excluding the public from OneOhio’s organizational meeting was a clear violation of...
A Love Story: Beth Curtis, the Mother Theresa of Marijuana and the hidden gem of Zanesville, Ohio
Every year, during each national holiday, Beth Curtis of Zanesville, Ohio, places a stack of cards on her otherwise cluttered work desk. On the front of each card are photos of people who have been sentenced to a life in prison for marijuana. The addresses on the...
It’s official: Ohio suffers record level of overdose death in 2021
Sadly, it’s official. Ohio has set another record for drug overdose deaths. The Ohio Department of Health’s mortality data, updated today, reports that 5,083 Ohio residents died of accidental drug overdoses in 2021. That breaks the previous record of 5,017 deaths in...
Ohio overdose count for 2021 now exceeds 5,000, on way to a record loss of life
The count of confirmed overdose deaths for 2021 went above 5,000 today. Another 200 or so deaths, mostly from November and December, haven’t been added to the Ohio Department of Health mortality database. That means in the next few days the overdose death toll for...
Higher than ever: Fentanyl’s frequency in Ohio’s drug supply increases — again
Every three months, Harm Reduction Ohio analyzes drugs found in drugs seized by law enforcement and analyzed at the state Bureau of Criminal Investigations crime labs. This analysis provides comprehensive and accurate on how the composition of Ohio’s drug supply has...
Ohio drug use levels: Totally average
Most people think Ohio has high levels of drug use. We do not. Ohio has average average levels of drug use (and always has). What Ohio has is horrifically high levels of drug overdose death. In other words, Ohio is killing people who use drugs at extraordinary rates....
NEW REPORT: Ohio Overdose Deaths in 2021
The death counts for 2021 are full-year estimates based on the 86% of the Ohio mortality data reported as of February 2, 2022. All other years are final counts as reported by the Ohio Department of Health. Harm Reduction Ohio will report final data for 2021 when it is...
Overdose Death in Ohio: Where does your county rank?
A comprehensive look at county death rates Are things getting better or worse in your county? In the table below, Harm Reduction Ohio ranks the death rates for all 88 Ohio counties from 2017 through 2021. Scioto County ranked No. 1 (the deadliest) in 2021, 2020, 2019...
Ohio Department of Health Releases 2020 Overdose Death Report
The Ohio Department of Health released its overdose fatality report for 2020 today. Harm Reduction Ohio has already reported these numbers by drawing on the state’s online mortality database. The report confirms, for example, that a record 5,017 Ohio...
A Decade of Change: The Demographics of Overdose Death in Ohio
The most current and accurate overdose death data Thanks for caring!
The Road to Hell: What caused Ohio’s overdose epidemic?
Another record year for overdose deaths Meth and cocaine overdoses driving increased death Harm Reduction Ohio estimates that Ohio’s overdose death count will reach 5,100 to 5,250 in 2021, a record for our state and an increase of about 3% over last year’s...
Ohio’s New Overdose Era: Adulterated stimulants
Meth and cocaine deaths are driving overdose death. Ohio has an overdose crisis, not an opioid problem. Ohio hasn’t had an “opioid crisis” for many years. We have a drug adulteration crisis, and the people who are dying are increasing numbers are those who...
Ohio’s Real Overdose Crisis: Fentanyl-adulterated stimulants
Meth and cocaine deaths soaring to record levels Stimulants contain fentanyl is driving overdose epidemic Confirmed overdose deaths in Ohio reached 3,269 today, a 5.5% increase over the number reported at the same time last year. It seems likely that, in 2021, Ohio...
VIDEOS: Harm Reduction Ohio Public Policy Series
Harm Reduction Ohio’s October Public Policy Series. Recordings now available October 25, 2021 – Ohio Opioid Settlements: How To Spend $1 Billion October 18, 2021 – Worse Than Ever: Overdose Death in Ohio October 11, 2021 – Ohio Drug Courts: Through Participants’...
What share of cocaine, meth and heroin contain fentanyl in Ohio?
Harm Reduction Ohio provides a factual answer The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation analyzes about 40,000 drug samples seized every year by law enforcement in Ohio. Harm Reduction Ohio runs a quarterly analysis of the BCI lab data to determine what percentage of...
Ohio Counties Ranked By Overdose Death Rate: 2021 vs. 2017
How has overdose death changed in Ohio? See where your county ranks For your county, check list at bottom or click here. Harm Reduction Ohio ranked all 88 Ohio counties by their overdose death rates in 2021 (through October 16) and compared them to overdose death...
The Deadly History of Fentanyl in Ohio, By Drug, 2010 – 2021
Fentanyl and its analogs now pervade Ohio’s drug supply. Only marijuana is safe from fentanyl. These charts show how fentanyl has spread through Ohio’s drug supply since 2014. Overall, 4,041 of the 5,017 accidental overdose deaths in Ohio in 2020 were...
Ohio distributes historic amount of naloxone to reduce overdose death
The state of Ohio deserves a standing ovation for a massive effort to expand access to naloxone, the overdose-reversing drug, in the last five months. The chart tells the story of the state’s large and heroic effort. Our state government’s wholesale pharmacy...
Harm Reduction Hero: Brenda Ryan, “bulldog” advocate for the children and caregivers
After losing her daughter to overdose… …Brenda cared for her grandson and became an advocate for all children By Eiliana Wright Harm Reduction Ohio WriterDenison University ’22 When Brenda Cameron Ryan, a resident of Akron, Ohio, staged a protest outside of a...
Overdose deaths jump 16.9% among Black Ohioans in 2021
Racial gap grows large in Ohio’s overdose epidemic Overdose death among Black Ohioans continues to soar while overdose death among White residents has moderated somewhat. The Ohio Department of Health mortality data report that 499 confirmed overdose deaths...
New HRO Report: “Ohio Drug Courts: Through Participants’ Eyes”
First of its kind survey asks Ohio drug court participants what they think. Most report positive results but … … more flexibility, MAT and Narcan could limit overdose death. CLICK to read full report Ohio drug courts receive millions of dollars in...
“Kinship Care: What Ohio Children Need” – Panel Discussion, Monday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
Please join Harm Reduction Ohio for an online panel discussion about kinship care, the practice of keeping children within extended families when a parent struggles with drugs or dies of an overdose. HRO Public Health Fellow Sarah Palazzo’s wrote an in-depth...
Harm Reduction Ohio: October Public Policy Series
Harm Reduction Ohio will hold a series of public policy discussions every Monday evening in October. The topics covered include kinship care, drug courts (from the participants’ perspective), overdose death and the opioid settlement. Join us for these free online events. Audience participation is welcome!
Harm Reduction Ohio President Dennis Cauchon: What happened inside the Twin Towers on 9/11
Before starting Harm Reduction Ohio in 2017, Dennis Cauchon spent 30+ years as a journalist. His best known story explains what happened inside the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
REPORT: Kinship Care: What Ohio Children Need
Report by Harm Reduction Ohio Public Health Fellow Sarah Palazzo. [embeddoc url="https://www.harmreductionohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Kinship-Care-Report-8_27_21-1.pdf"]
HRO SPECIAL REPORT: Kinship Care: What Ohio Children Need
Kinship caregivers should receive more support to care for children removed from their parents and placed with loved ones due to parental drug use or other challenges. An estimated nine percent of Ohio children are in informal kinship care.
Ohio counties with the worst overdose death rates in 2020 and 2021
On the eve of Ohio’s first official Overdose Awareness Day, Harm Reduction Ohio reports the counties that have suffered the worst levels of overdose death in 2020 and 2021.
Ohio Overdose Awareness Day Events, 2021
Harm Reduction Ohio’s list of Overdose Awareness Day events confirmed in Ohio. The list is updated on a regular basis.
Where drug overdose deaths are worst in 2021
Harm Reduction Ohio maps show the Ohio counties suffering the highest overdose death rates for all drugs, meth and cocaine in 2021. We don’t have one overdose death epidemic. We have several different ones, all related to fentanyl adulteration caused by the drug war.
Overdose Death Update: Ugly, deadly, tragic
The horrific pace of accidental overdose deaths continues unabated in Ohio. 2021 is on track to be one of the deadliest years ever for overdoses.
Order naloxone now, free from Harm Reduction Ohio
Harm Reduction Ohio operates our state’s largest (and lowest-cost) naloxone distribution program. We’ve reversed thousands of overdoses in Ohio. This article explains how we do it and who generously supports this massive overdose-reversing effort.
Males account for growing share of overdose deaths in Ohio
Male Ohio residents, especially Black males, account for more than 70% of overdose deaths recorded so far in 2021. That’s a record. Black males account for an increasing share of our state’s overdose deaths.
Now Available: “Meet People Where They’re At” T-shirt
This beautiful T-shirt -- designed by Harm Reduction Ohio's own Mallory Bolen -- expresses the harm reduction's central ethos: "Meet People Where They're At." The T-shirt is available in four colors and costs $25. Profits support Harm Reduction Ohio's naloxone...
Drug Court Survey
Harm Reduction Ohio is conducting a survey to learn more about drug courts from the perspective of participants.
Harm Reduction Ohio T-shirts Now Available
Harm Reduction Ohio introduces t-shirts — and a coffee mug — for people who want to support harm reduction and naloxone distribution in Ohio. Your purchase will subsidize naloxone in style!
A talk with the harm reduction heroes running Ohio’s newest syringe service program in Findlay
Jamie Decker, shown here in a sketch by Harm Reduction Ohio intern Sydney Tavens. is a member of our Board of Directors and works at the syringe access program in Findlay, Ohio’s newest program. Sydney talked to Jamie and his Hancock County Public Health Colleague Gary Bright about their new program.
Survey on Ohio Drug Courts: Participants’ Perspectives
Harm Reduction Ohio is collecting information on participants' experiences in Ohio drug courts. This is the first statewide analysis of how drug courts have impacted their participants. If you have been in an Ohio drug court, please fill out our survey. We want to...
Nathaniel Jordan II and Columbus Kappa Foundation: “How to Save a Life”
Nathaniel Jordan, executive director of the Columbus Kappa Foundation, has built Ohio’s largest naloxone distribution program aimed at serving African Americans in Ohio. Read Columbus Monthly’s excellent new article on Columbus Kappa’s efforts.
NEW: Expanded list of all Ohio syringe programs
Twenty-two Ohio counties now offer syringe service programs. Our expanded list includes current times, hours and locations for all programs in Ohio. Plus we’ve added the services offered — such as HIV or Hep C testing — at each program.
Meth overdose deaths soar in Ohio…and not much is being done about it
Meth overdoses deaths have soared in Ohio and now account for one out of four overdose deaths. The mixing of fentanyl and methamphetamine is driving death. See how things have changed over the last five years and the Ohio counties with the worst meth-related overdose death rates.
Harm Reduction Ohio proposes simple fix for racial bias in state’s new Narcan distribution plan
Harm Reduction Ohio and the Columbus Kappa Foundation asked the state to switch eight of 89 zip codes in its new $2.5 million targeted naloxone distribution effort. Seven zip codes to be added have mostly Black residents and high overdose death rates. One zip is in Gallia County, an Appalachia county with Ohio’s second highest overdose death rate. The proposal would remove eight zip codes for suburban areas with low overdose death rates.
Harm Reduction Ohio Report: Gov. DeWine’s “Naloxone Blitz” is racially biased
Harm Reduction Ohio released a report today explaining how the state’s new “Naloxone Blitz” plan is racially biased and unfair to many areas suffering the worst levels of overdose deaths, including Ohio’s Appalachian counties. The state plan emphasizes providing Narcan in suburban zip codes with predominantly White residents. The DeWine administration program will spend $2.5 million rushing 30,000 Narcan kits to 89 selected Ohio zip codes. Harm Reduction Ohio will receive 4,500 of those kits. HRO says: Black overdoses matter.
Harm Reduction Ohio Report on Gov. DeWine’s “Naloxone Blitz”
Zip code selections shows racial bias Plan unfairly ignores Appalachian counties suffering worst overdose levels[embeddoc url="https://www.harmreductionohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/HRO-Naloxone-Blitz-Report-May-7-21.pdf"]
Ohio overdose death toll exceeds 5,000 in 2020
The death toll for 2020 breaks another threshold: 5,000 deaths in a single year. It’s important to remember that a decade ago, when we started because of increases in Oxycontin prescriptions, “only” 1,500 people died of drug overdoses. What mistakes has government made that has caused unprecedented levels of drug adulteration and historic levels of overdose death? It’s hard to think of a policy that has killed more people and caused more harm that the drug war.
Fentanyl levels (and overdose death) remain high in Ohio in 2021
A new Harm Reduction Ohio analysis of drug seizure data show that the amount of fentanyl in Ohio’s drug supply may be at record levels in 2021. If so, that would foreshadow a continuation of our state’s record level of overdose deaths. See the data and why it matters in this article.
Ohio zip codes with the most overdose deaths among Black residents
The zip code with the highest overdose death rate among African Americans was in Cincinnati. The zip code with the most overdose deaths was in Columbus. Overdose death rate for Black Ohioans now exceeds that for Whites. This list will help everyone involved in overdose reduction focus on where need is exceptionally great.
Ohio zip codes with the highest overdose death rates
Harm Reduction Ohio lists the Ohio zip codes with the worst overdose rates, plus every zip code that suffered 50 or more overdose deaths since 2018. It’s a heart-breaking list that shows why laypersons — especially people with lived and shared experiences — must be enlisted to distribute naloxone (Narcan) to the stigmatized population of (beautiful!) people at risk of overdose death.
Jennifer’s Story: From sharing needles to Hep C to treatment, health and happiness
Read Jennifer’s uplifting story of how new Medicaid rules let her and others who use/d drugs get treatment for Hepatitis C. If you ever injected drugs, please get tested and treated. Ohio’s Medicaid program now treats people who use/d with more compassion and less stigma. A cure for life-threatening Hep C is now possible for everyone.
Trumbull County Overdose Report – April 2021
[embeddoc url="https://www.harmreductionohio.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Epi_Data_2021.02.pdf.pdf"]
Ohio Counties Ranked: Overdose Deaths Rates, 2020
See where your county ranks for overdose deaths in 2020.
Narcan distribution increases in Ohio…but overdose death keeps rising
Why hasn’t a big increase in naloxone distribution reduced overdose deaths in Ohio? Ditto treatment. Why hasn’t spending hundreds of millions to provide treatment to people struggling with drugs reduced our overdose death rate? This article explains why.
Murder victim George Floyd’s portrayal in stereotyped and stigmatizing ways
David Helm II of Harm Reduction Ohio speaks on how George Floyd has been offensively portrayed in ways that falsely stereotype and stigmatize Black men and people who use drugs.
Bill to legalize marijuana introduced in Ohio House of Representatives
The law is unlikely to pass this year but is an important first step. More co-sponsors and a legislative hearing are needed.
Sarah Hayden’s powerful testimony about caring for the children of people who struggle with drugs
Sarah, a peer supporter, told her moving story March 11 to Ohio legislators, explaining why adequate funding for children services is so important. “My favorite quote is, ‘A Closed Mouth Doesn’t Get Fed.’ When I wasn’t advocating for myself, nothing I needed or wanted was being heard. So today, I am speaking for others who don’t have a voice.” Thank you for speaking now, Sarah.
Ohio suffers six straight months of record overdose deaths
The bad news continues. Overdose death has receded slightly since the record set in May 2020, but Ohio continues to suffer the worst monthly overdose death totals ever — and that’s saying something considering what our state has been through. It’s time for Ohio to adjust overdose prevention spending and policies.
NEW: Overdose Deaths Rates for Every Ohio County, 2015 – 2020
Ohio will likely set a record for overdose deaths in 2020, exceeding the record of 4,854 deaths in 2020. In this article, we report overdose death rates for all 88 counties in 2020 and these death rates have changed in every year since 2015. Compare your county to others in Ohio.
What you need to know about Hepatitis C treatment in Ohio
Barriers preventing people who use drugs from getting Hepatitis C treatment are falling away. Medicaid no longer requires six months of sobriety, hard-to-get liver scans or suffering from severe liver disease before treatment is provided. Learn more about this important changes in Ohio.
Fentanyl adulteration drives meth overdose deaths to historic level
More than 1,000 Ohio residents died in 2020 from methamphetamine-related drug overdoses — and 80% of those deaths involved fentanyl or a fentanyl analog. Why is this happening? What can be done to reduce this death on a mass scale?
Fentanyl adulteration hits record level in Ohio, driving overdose deaths to unprecedented peak
A new Harm Reduction Ohio analysis shows how fentanyl adulteration of drugs has grown sharply in Ohio over the last seven years. In 2020, Ohio’s drug supply was more adulterated than ever. Supply chain disruptions related to covid-19 are the likely cause of the increase in fentanyl frequency during 2020. The increase in fentanyl’s frequency will likely make 2020 the most horrific year ever for overdose deaths.
Two Fathers Stories: Why you should carry Narcan
We profile Ray and Ryan, two fathers whose life could have been saved by naloxone. Please carry Narcan. Be prepared to save a life.
Overdose deaths fall from historic levels set early in COVID-19
Total overdose deaths appear to have fallen below 400 a month in the second half of 2020. That’s still a horrific level but below the historic level of overdose deaths suffered in May (500+), June (400+) and July (400+).
Twenty-five Ohio counties set records for overdose death in 2020
See how big a problem overdose death is in your county. Death rates for all Ohio counties shown.
Overdose Racial Gap: Black Ohioans now die at higher rate than White residents
Racial gap flipped from white to black in 2019 Became more extreme in 2020 About 800 Black Ohio residents died of drug overdoses, shattering the previous record of 651 deaths in 2019. By contrast, overdose deaths for White residents increased from last year but...
Ohio smashes record for total deaths in 2020
The death toll, direct and indirect, from coronavirus will be higher than current estimates. How do we know? 2020 has been, by far, the deadliest year in Ohio history.
COVID effect: Ohio suffers record death toll in December and all of 2020
Total deaths in Ohio soared to unprecedented levels in November and December 2020 and for the year as a whole. The COVID-19 pandemic has equaled or exceeded predictions for the possible death toll. Are things getting better? Not yet.
Ohio Overdose Deaths: Most recent data
Here are the most recent numbers of confirmed overdoses in Ohio. It appears overdose death has fallen slightly from the historically horrific levels of May, June and July. However, the pace of death remains extraordinarily high and, as a whole, 2020 will be either the deadliest of second deadliest year in Ohio history.
Why does Ohio rank No. 31 in drug use but No. 2 in overdose death?
Ohio residents use drugs at average levels when compared to other states. However, we die at extraordinarily high rates. Drug use is not our problem. Worst-in-the-nation adulteration of our illegal drug supply is.
Ohio Overdose Deaths, Ranked By County, 2020
Scioto County (Portsmouth) has Ohio’s highest overdose death rate in 2020. Franklin County (Columbus) has reported the most overdose deaths. Two counties have not reported any 2020 overdose deaths. See where your county ranks.
Ohio achieves new Rocky Mountain high
The latest drug use data is out for Ohio. Our state is greener than ever! It’s past time for Ohio to stop criminalizing a plant and arresting people.
Ohio overdose deaths hit record highs in many counties — with more to come
In 2020, 19 of Ohio’s 88 counties have already set or equalled records in overdose deaths. Another dozen counties are likely to join this club of death when the final overdose death tally for 2020 is completed in late summer 2020. Where is death increasing most?
Did you know Ohio ranks No. 36 in drug use but No. 2 in overdose death?
Yes, Ohio ranks below the national average in drug use. So why is our overdose death rate so high? We need to stop blaming drug users and drug use levels for their deaths. Ohio’s problem is the nation’s most dangerous drug supply. We need to focus on making drug use safer. It’s the ONLY way to end our overdose catastrophe.
Overdose death, education and income (and Donald Trump)
There’s a huge gulf between the blue collar, working class residents of Ohio and the state’s college-educated professional class. This shows in in the extreme in both overdose death rates and political support for Donald Trump.
Overdose Catastrophe: Ohio county death rates ranked, top to bottom
Harm Reduction Ohio ranked overdose death rates for 70 Ohio counties for 2019 and 2020. Scioto County (Portsmouth) is Ohio’s deadliest place. The least deadly? Ohio’s most affluent county.
Naloxone Reform Approved! Ohio ends license requirement for getting and distributing Narcan
Ohio eliminates need to get Terminal Distributor of Dangerous Drugs License to obtain naloxone. This removes a major obstacle blocking that the ability of laypersons and organizations from distributing naloxone. The change should revolutionize naloxone access in Ohio.
Ohio Overdose Catastrophe: May 2020 was the deadliest month EVER in Ohio
Ohio reports 500 overdose deaths in May 2020, exceeding the previous carfentanil-driven peak of 484 overdose deaths in April 2017. The death toll for June 2020 also set a record for that month.. Stress, job loss and social isolation from COVID-19 are the probable drivers for the record-breaking death surge now in Ohio.
EVENT: Book Launch for “This Is Ohio,’ by Jack Shuler
Join us Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. for the online launch of an important new book: “This Is Ohio: The Overdose Crisis and the Front Lines of a New America,” by Ohio author Jack Shuler. HRO President Dennis Cauchon will lead the discussion with the author.
Rest in Peace: Dylan Stanley
Dylan Stanley, 30, our former director of community outreach, was one of Ohio’s great harm reduction activists and certainly its best public speaker. She died of a suspected overdose in Columbus. Our hearts our broken. We miss her enormously.
Cocaine overdose? Administer naloxone
Four of five cocaine-related overdose deaths in Ohio also involve fentanyl. You never know what’s in a white powder. When a person loses consciousness, always administer naloxone. It can’t hurt. It can only help.
Ohio’s Tragic Repeat: Overdose deaths soar nearly 30% in first half of 2020
We must stop this. As of August 20, the state has confirmed 472 more overdose deaths in 2020 than were known at the same time in 2019. As Ohioans, we need to do something to save the lives of these wonderful and worthy people who use drugs.
Carfentanil is back, driving overdose deaths higher in Ohio
Carfentanil has returned to Ohio at levels not seen since the overdose death peak of 2017. The ultra-dangerous drug appears to have causedOhio’s overdose death increase in 2019. It’s unclear if the drug is responsible for the overdose death surge underway in 2020 during COVID-19.
Hancock County opens new syringe service program in Findlay
Congratulation to Hancock County Public Health! The county opened a new syringe service program in Findlay, its largest city, on July 30th. Hancock is the 21st Ohio county to approve a syringe program and is first new one in 2020, launching despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
SPECIAL COVID REPORT: Ohio overdose deaths rise estimated 29% in first half of 2020
COVID-19 appears to have caused a big overdose death surge statewide in April-May-June, new data show. The death spike was seen everywhere in the state — in big cities, small cities, and rural areas. Also new: overdose deaths exceeded 4,000 in 2019, driven by accelerating death late in the year. The overdose decline of 2018 was fleeting.
JOB OPENINGS for Harm Reduction Ohio’s naloxone distribution program
A full-time Naloxone Distribution Manager and one or more part-time Naloxone Distribution Specialists will be hired to work in Harm Reduction Ohio’s central Ohio office. Our naloxone distribution program is Ohio’s largest. We distributed more than 9,000 kits and reverse more than 400 overdoses in the first six months of this year.
JOB OPENING: Office Administrator for Harm Reduction Ohio
Hours flexible: 15 to 35 hours per week. Pay starts at $14 to $20 per hour depending on experience. Job located in central Ohio. This is an important position and carries significant responsibility.
Where are overdose death rates worst in Ohio?
We need to keep our focus on the entire state because the highest overdose rates are in small towns and cities, not our biggest counties. Scioto County (Portsmouth) has had the No. 1 in overdose death rate for three straight years.
Ohio launches new anti-overdose media campaign
Campaign stresses naloxone, danger of all drugs, calling 911. Multi-racial images used in campaign. Critics say campaign promotes stereotypes, racial bias. What do you think?
Where does your county rank among Ohio’s 88 counties?
Ohio overdose death rates, by county, for three years: 2017-2019
Syringe programs re-opening, adding hours and services
Programs find ways to safely adapt to covid-19 See updated list of syringe programs, hours and locationsBy Elaine Louden, HRO Public Health Fellow Updated 5/20/20 Ohio’s syringe programs are starting to reopen and resume normal hours after closing or restricting...
