Community
News Story - Overdose Awareness Day
VENTURA COUNTY PHARMACEUTICAL CRIMES UNIT
News Story Release
News Story Release
| Nature of Incident: |
International Overdose Awareness Day |
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| Date & Time: |
August 31, 2022 |
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| Narrative: | |||||
| In recognition of International Drug Overdose Awareness Day on August 31st, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to share our sympathies and support for those who suffer from drug addiction, as well as their families and loved ones who also carry a heavy burden as the current drug crisis continues to ravage our communities. The numbers are startling. Current data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics indicate there were an estimated 107,622 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2021, an increase of nearly 15% from the 93,655 deaths estimated in 2020. Nationally the CDC also advises that Fentanyl is now the number one cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45. This number surpasses deaths from COVID-19, automobile accidents and suicide. Locally in Ventura County, despite collaborative countermeasures, we have also seen a continuous increase in both fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses. Our county has experienced an increase in fentanyl overdose deaths from 87 in 2020, to 164 in 2021. This is an 88.5% increase in fentanyl overdose deaths over the span of one year. Currently, all overdoses in the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction are investigated by the Ventura County Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit. This task force is made up of members from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Thousand Oaks Police Department, with a primary mission to identify and stop new trends of drug abuse and investigate overdoses resulting from illicit drug use. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is also an active member of the County Opioid Abuse Suppression Taskforce (COAST). We have partnered with Ventura County Behavioral Health and the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office in a campaign to reduce overdoses and educate the public about the dangers of opioids and other drugs. Together, we believe a multi-faceted approach to addressing the challenge—which includes enforcing state and federal drug laws; investigating the tragic health consequences of overdoses; training allied health professionals in best practices; and engaging drug users to access health services—is the most effective way to combat this epidemic in Ventura County. If you or a loved one are currently experiencing issues related to drug addiction or need assistance with recognizing the physical signs of a drug overdose, there are resources available. Please visit www.SafeChoicesVC.org for more information. The public may also contact investigators from the Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit at (805) 383-8700 or [email protected] with additional information about this issue, or any other information related to narcotics. Comprehensive information about the current epidemic and drug overdose can be found at www.VenturaCountyResponds.org; https://meo.ventura.org; and www.nida.nih.gov |
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| Prepared by: | Sergeant John Hajducko |
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| News Release Date: | August 30, 2022 | ||||
| Media Follow-Up Contact: | Sergeant John Hajducko (805) 383-8700 |
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| Approved by: |
Captain Brian Slominski | ||||
Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511