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Danbury, Putnam County study partnership to fight opioid addiction epidemic

Drug trafficking doesn't stop at state line.  That's why Danbury and Putnam County are looking to share resources.  During a recent meeting between Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton and Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell, the pair talked about how kids might be coming into Danbury to buy here or vice versa. 

 

The Putnam County Health Director approached Boughton about opioid crisis and things Putnam County is doing, that Danbury just doesn't have the budget to do. 

 

Danbury and Putnam County have similar population counts.  But Boughton says Danbury's Health Director doesn't have the resources to match their marketing dollars and the speakers they are able to bring in.  Odell says they are lucky to have a strong group of non-profits and government individuals working together on this issue.

 

Drug overdose deaths have increased by 33 percent in the past five years across the country, with some states seeing jumps of nearly 200 percent.

 

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30 states saw increases in overdose deaths resulting from the abuse of heroin and prescription painkillers, a class of drugs known as opioids. Connecticut had the death rate jump by over 100 percent.

 

Last year, more than 52,000 people died from drug overdoses, with almost two-thirds involving prescription or illegal opioids. Sixteen states saw a jump in deaths from synthetic opioids including illicit fentanyl, with New York (135.7 percent) and Connecticut (125.9 percent) the hardest hit.

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Brian Kilmeade

Local Headlines