RELIEF. THANKS SO MUCH, KEVIN. WELL, WHAT’S BEEN HOPEFUL NEWS HERE IN CINCINNATI FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS IS NOW MAKING HEADLINES IN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE ON THE WAY DOWN RIGHT NOW AFTER GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR THE PAST DECADE OR SO. WLWT NEWS FIVE’S TODD — HAS REACTION NOW TO THIS POSITIVE TREND FROM A RECOVERY EXPERT AND THE DEA. WELL, HERE IN CINCINNATI, OVERDOSE DEATHS STARTED FALLING FAIRLY DRAMATICALLY AT THE END OF 2021. BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BUT NOW BOTH THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL RATES OF FATAL ODS ARE STARTING TO SYNC UP. I’VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, I’VE ALMOST LOST MY LIFE SEVERAL TIMES IN LOWER PRICE HILL. THERE ARE DRUG RECOVERY HOUSING UNITS MARKED BY THE NAME OF AN ORGANIZATION, TYLER SCHMIDT, FOUNDED AFTER HE OVERCAME ADDICTION. ONCE YOU’VE, YOU KNOW, BEEN THERE, YOU HAVE COMPASSION FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME THINGS. AND SO A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, MY INNER CIRCLE IS GUYS LIKE ME, GUYS WHO’VE BEEN PULLED BACK FROM THE SLAUGHTER, WHO HAVE A SECOND CHANCE NOW. DATA FROM THE CDC AND DRUG MONITORING ORGANIZATIONS INDICATE A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS LIKE HEROIN AND EVEN FENTANYL ARE GETTING THOSE SECOND CHANCES. WE’RE SEEING A TREND DOWN IN OVERDOSE AND POISONING DEATHS, WHICH IS GREAT. NATIONALLY, OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE DOWN 10% THIS YEAR. THE GROUP HARM REDUCTION OHIO, SAYS THE BUCKEYE STATE HAS SEEN A 30% DROP. RUSSELL KRAMER, ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE DA’S OFFICE IN CINCINNATI, SAYS THE AVAILABILITY OF OD REVERSAL MEDICINES LIKE NARCAN AND NALOXONE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. YOU’RE SEEING IT IN VENDING MACHINES AROUND HIGH DRUG TRAFFICKING AREAS. IT’S GIVEN OUT FREE AT A LOT OF CLINICS AND STUFF IN THE CITY. THERE’S A LOT MORE SUPPORT OUT THERE WHEN FOLKS COME TOGETHER AND SHARE WHAT THEY’RE DOING THAT’S WORKING. YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY BENEFITS FROM THAT. NOW THE RECOVERY HOUSES THAT TYLER SCHMIDT AND HIS TEAM OPERATE ARE ALMOST AT FULL CAPACITY, WHICH IS A FIRST THAT SUPPORTS THE NOTION THAT MORE PEOPLE WHO’VE STRUGGLED WITH ADDICTION ARE REACHING OUT AND SEEKIN
Falling overdose death rates seen in Greater Cincinnati now showing up across the country
Fatal drug overdose cases down in Hamilton County more than 30% since peak of opioid crisis in 2017
In Cincinnati’s Lower Price Hill neighborhood, there are drug recovery housing units marked by the name of an organization Tyler Schmidt founded after he overcame addiction.”I’ve been there. I’ve almost lost my life several times,” said Schmidt, executive director of the Living In Testimony Movement, or LIT for short. “Once you’ve, you know, been there, you have compassion for those struggling with the same things. And so a lot of my friends, my inner circle, is guys like me — guys who’ve been pulled back from the slaughter and have a second chance.”Now, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and drug monitoring organizations indicate a lot more people who use drugs like heroin and even fentanyl are getting those second chances.”We’re seeing a trend down in overdose and poisoning deaths, which is great,” said Russell Kramer, an assistant special agent in charge with the Drug Enforcement Agency.Nationally, overdose deaths are down approximately 10 percent this year. The group Harm Reduction Ohio said the Buckeye State has seen a 30 percent drop.Kramer, who’s based in the DEA’s Cincinnati office, said the availability of overdose reversal medicines like Narcan and naloxone is making a difference.”You’re seeing it in vending machines around high drug trafficking areas,” Kramer said. “It’s given out free at a lot of clinics and stuff in the city.””There’s a lot more support out there,” Schmidt said. “When folks come together and share what they’re doing that’s working, you know, everybody benefits from that.”The recovery houses Schmidt and his team operate are almost at full capacity, which is a first. Schmidt said that fact supports the notion that more people who’ve struggled with addiction are looking for that second chance.
In Cincinnati’s Lower Price Hill neighborhood, there are drug recovery housing units marked by the name of an organization Tyler Schmidt founded after he overcame addiction.
“I’ve been there. I’ve almost lost my life several times,” said Schmidt, executive director of the Living In Testimony Movement, or LIT for short. “Once you’ve, you know, been there, you have compassion for those struggling with the same things. And so a lot of my friends, my inner circle, is guys like me — guys who’ve been pulled back from the slaughter and have a second chance.”
Now, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and drug monitoring organizations indicate a lot more people who use drugs like heroin and even fentanyl are getting those second chances.
“We’re seeing a trend down in overdose and poisoning deaths, which is great,” said Russell Kramer, an assistant special agent in charge with the Drug Enforcement Agency.
Nationally, overdose deaths are down approximately 10 percent this year. The group Harm Reduction Ohio said the Buckeye State has seen a 30 percent drop.
Kramer, who’s based in the DEA’s Cincinnati office, said the availability of overdose reversal medicines like Narcan and naloxone is making a difference.
“You’re seeing it in vending machines around high drug trafficking areas,” Kramer said. “It’s given out free at a lot of clinics and stuff in the city.”
“There’s a lot more support out there,” Schmidt said. “When folks come together and share what they’re doing that’s working, you know, everybody benefits from that.”
The recovery houses Schmidt and his team operate are almost at full capacity, which is a first. Schmidt said that fact supports the notion that more people who’ve struggled with addiction are looking for that second chance.
