The Portland Police Department issued a press release Thursday reporting a recent increase in drug overdoses and fatalities during the final weeks of 2023.
During the last two weeks of 2023, there were 30 overdoses reported, with three ending in fatalities, according to Portland Police.
Police say the trend has not slowed going into 2024, with three overdoses reported through the first two days of January.
Attributed to a typical spike in overdoses reported during the holiday season, Portland Police say overdose numbers from November (34) to December (55) rose by 62 percent — compared to 12.5 percent in 2022.
In 2023, the average age of those who died due to drug overdose was 43, and males accounted for 79 percent of the fatalities.
Overdose fatalities saw a slight decline from 2022 (51) to 2023 (47), though the total number of overdoses increased from 518 to 527.
Portland Police and all on-duty law enforcement officers in the State of Maine are required under state law to carry Narcan, or Naloxone — an opioid antagonist medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.
[RELATED: Portland Awarded $4 Million CDC Grant for Overdose Prevention…]
Police say officers use Narcan on overdose victims at least once per week.
Statewide, the most recent data from the Maine Attorney General’s Office reported the total number of overdoses from January through November 2023 was 9,135 — with 559 fatalities.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="24443 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=24443">3 Comments
Couldn’t have any connections to do with our wide open borders could it? or is it just me thinking this way?
I have no problem with these people over-dosing.
Right with you, Boxcar!