Ohio has seen an improvement in its opioid crisis with overdose deaths down by nearly a third as of August 2024 and has increased efforts to fund treatment centers, recovery housing and distribute narcan.
But opioids continue to pose dangers to the community.
“Fentanyl has worked its way into a lot of drugs such as meth, cocaine and even pressed pills [like adderall] and is over 50 times stronger than heroin,” said Karyn Kravetz, associate director at the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County. “This is what is alarming, especially for the college student population.”
There were 43 overdose deaths in Portage County in 2023, according to The Portage County Health District.
Fentanyl and other drugs are highly addictive and lethal, affecting an individual’s work, personal life and familial relationships, Kravetz said.
“The drugs aren’t just drugs anymore, you don’t know what you’re buying on the street,” Tamera Hunter, chief executive officer at Townhall II, said. “We’re seeing not just fentanyl in opioids, heroin and cocaine; we’re starting to see it in marijuana and this is a big concern with the legalization of recreational marijuana.”
Kravetz emphasized the importance for Kent students to carry narcan, an opioid overdose reversal drug that is administered as a nasal spray.
Narcan is available free to students at the Kent City Health Department, the Kent Police Department and Townhall II. Townhall II has a harm reduction vending machine in their lobby with free narcan, fentanyl test strips, condoms, pregnancy tests, covid tests and first aid kits with no questions asked, Hunter said.
“What’s really important is that you also call 911, and not be afraid to call 911, and let them know that somebody is overdosing,” Kravetz said.
The signs of an overdose are nausea, confusion and typically someone experiencing an overdose is laid out flat and unresponsive, Hunter said.
“If you see someone passed out and they’re not responding, it would be a good moment to administer narcan and start CPR,” Hunter said. “The sooner you can administer the narcan, the better it is for the person who is receiving it because there is a point of no return.”
Hunter believes preventative measures start with the youth and talking about the dangers of opiates, alcohol and other drugs.
“One of the biggest things is talking about stigma, trying to destigmatize mental health and substance abuse issues and get people to talk about it,” Hunter said. “Getting to the point where people understand treating substance abuse is like treating diabetes, it’s a medical condition and you can get help.”
Townhall II is a resource that provides health services and substance abuse treatment to those suffering with addiction or mental health.
“Help is available, treatment works and there’s always hope,” Kravetz said. “People can recover.”
The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is 988.
Lauren Bischof is a beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
