The Monroe County Medical Examiner released a report that shows an increase in overdose deaths involving a combo of fentanyl and cocaine from 2022 to 2023.
Rochester, N.Y. — The Monroe County Medical Examiner released a report Tuesday that shows an increase in overdose deaths involving a combination of fentanyl and cocaine from 2022 to 2023. Dr. Marielena Vélez de Brown, Monroe County's new commissioner of public health, said 512 fatal overdoses were reported in 2023, which is a 26% increase from the previous year.
The report said the overdose deaths in 2023 are largely driven by a rise in fatalities involving a combination of fentanyl and cocaine. "The majority of illicit drug supply in Monroe County is contaminated with fentanyl, or other very, very powerful synthetic opioids,” Vélez de Brown said. According to the report, fentanyl and its analogs were present in approximately 83% of all opioid and cocaine-related deaths. "This is predominantly affecting males in our community, but not exclusively,” Vélez de Brown explained. “It’s also impacting people of color at a disproportionate rate, so the group that is dying the fastest is older black men. They are finding that there are folks who are long-time cocaine users, thinking they are buying cocaine, but it's actually laced with fentanyl. We suspect that is driving some of the increases in this specific population, that folks are not trying to use opioids, but that’s what they are finding in their drug supply."Vélez de Brown said the county is working to address the crisis with outreach, connecting people with resources and reducing the stigma of addiction. "Our team has many resources available to give to community members, whether that’s fentanyl test strips or xylazine test strips,” Vélez de Brown said. The county has a team that can connect people to crisis services. It’s available 24/7, and the number is 753-5300.
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