HJNO Jul/Aug 2021

50 JUL / AUG 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN MENTAL HEALTH MORE than 83,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in June 2020. This was an increase of over 21% compared to the previous year and is the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period. During this same time, Louisiana experienced the second high- est increase in the rate of opioid overdose deaths in the nation. For several years, there has been in- creased funding for more prevention, treatment and harm reduction services; new laws limiting opioid prescriptions and tracking prescriber practices; easier ac- cess to nonprescription overdose reversal medication; and training and new sentenc- ing options for law enforcement and the judiciary. With these advancements, then, why did so many more overdose deaths occur this past year? Most professionals will agree that the widespread mixing of fentanyl into street drugs is driving the increasing rate of fatal overdoses. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100% more potent than mor- phine. It is used to boost street drugs for a more intense high. Its initial arrival was identified by first responders identify- ing hot spots of overdose deaths. Deaths THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC ACCELERATED ITS DESTRUCTIVE AND DEADLY PATH WHILE THE NATION FOCUSED ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THIS PAST YEAR. There is No Post-Opioid Epidemic Yet