Fewer OD deaths seen in Laconia this year

LACONIA — As people gather at Bartlett Beach on Saturday for International Overdose Awareness Day, there are some glimmers of hope locally that fewer people are dying of substance abuse.

Police Chief Matt Canfield said there were 109 overdoses, 14 of them fatal, in Laconia last year, compared to 33 overdoses, three fatal, this year.

Canfield praised Eric Adams, the city’s drug prevention, enforcement and training officer, for the work he has done on the issue, and also said the changing face of addiction locally may have something to do with the decline in overdoses.

The chief said the deadly danger of heroin laced with fentanyl appears to have led to an upsurge in demand for and use of methamphetamine, which is also extremely dangerous but doesn’t lead to as many overdose deaths.

“Meth presents a whole different boat of challenges compared to heroin, a drug that is a downer,” Canfield said. “With heroin, you don’t have the violence you do with meth, where people are up for days.

“We haven’t seen it here, but the rise in meth use can lead to increases in violent crime.”

He also said drug statistics can vary by time of year.

“It’s too early to get excited, but there does appear to be a transition, a change in trend,” he said.

Statewide, there were 184 total drug deaths as of Aug. 14, with another 55 cases awaiting toxicology results that are not in yet, according to the state Medical Examiner’s office. There were 471 drug deaths in 2018, 488 in 2017, 485 in 2016, 439 in 2015 and 332 in 2014.

Nationally, there were about 72,000 drug overdose deaths last year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the New Hampshire Drug Monitoring Initiative, Belknap County led the state last year in per capita overdose deaths with 4.75 per 10,000 population.

If you go:

On Saturday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., an International Overdose Awareness Day observance will be held at Bartlett Beach.

In addition to raising awareness, the event is intended to reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, to remember those who have died or suffered permanent injury and to stimulate discussion about available community resources, overdose prevention and local drug policy.

People in attendance will be given an International Overdose Awareness Day wristband to show their support and are encouraged to use the hashtags #OverdoseAware and #EndOverdose on social media to boost awareness. Narcan (naloxone) training and kits will be provided.

For more information:

On the web — International Overdose Awareness Day, www.overdoseday.com

How to get help:

Eric Adams, Laconia Police Department Prevention, Enforcement, Treatment Coordinator — 603-832-8323

Brian Keyes, Laconia Firefighter/Paramedic Recovery Coordinator — 603-581-8355

Navigating Recovery of the Lakes Region, 102 Court St., Laconia — 603-524-5939

Horizons Counseling Center, 61 Beacon St. West, Laconia — 603-524-8005

Lakes Region General Hospital Recovery Clinic — 603-737-6047

New Hampshire Statewide Addiction Crisis Hotline — 1-844-711-4357

Information and Referral Services, call 2-1-1