Overdose deaths down dramatically in Whitley County

 Fewer people are dying from drug overdoses in Whitley County than in year’s past, but drug abuse still remains a persistent problem in Whitley County.

This was the message the Whitley County Unite Coalition heard from Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley and Sheriff’s Sgt. Tim Baker, who is a narcotics detective.

In 2013, a total of 32 people died in Whitley County from confirmed drug overdoses compared to 56 people in 2012 and 51 people in 2011, Croley said.

"The overdose rate from last year to this year is quite a bit lower, which is really good," Croley said. "You have to thank the law enforcement officials for doing what they are doing.

"It is just harder for people to purchase drugs, which makes it more difficult for them to take it irresponsibly."

Croley said that he ordered toxicology examinations for 75 individuals, who died during 2013. 10 of those toxicology test results are still pending. By comparison, Croley ordered over 100 toxicology screenings in 2012.

Out of the 65 toxicology results that are known, 26 had opiates, which are usually pain pills, in their bloodstream and 22 had benzodiazepine, which is valium or xanax.

10 people had alcohol, eight had THC, which is the active ingredient in marijuana, four had tramadol, two had cocaine and two had amphetamines.

Croley said that the number of people with amphetamines or methamphetamine in their system was drastically down compared to what it once was.

Croley noted that there are three ranges that drugs fall into in the bloodstream, including the therapeutic range, toxic range and the lethal range, which is the range that has been known to cause death in people. The lethal range varies from person to person.

"Just because these were in someone’s toxicology doesn’t mean that they died from an overdose," Croley cautioned. "Everybody’s range is different so there is really no way to determine what your lethal range of hydrocodone is for instance."

Very few of the drugs were found to be in the therapeutic range, Croley added.

Melinda Moses, a registered emergency room nurse who is running for jailer, noted that overdoses remain high even if they aren’t reaching the lethal level.

"We probably see one almost every day," Moses said. "They are overdosing but they are not dying."

Whitley County Unite Coalition Chairperson Adam Sulfridge noted that the number of overdose death decreasing is a good thing though.

Robotripping

During the meeting, the coalition also discussed robotripping, which involves people drinking an entire bottle of Robitussin in order to get high. The practice is popular among teenagers.

It can generate a high that lasts four to six hours.

During the meeting, Croley showed a short You Tube video, which was posted by a man, who said he is seeking new legal ways to get high and showed robotripping.

Croley said that one out of 10 people, who are between ages 12 and 17, try robotripping, and one in three have been offered it.

Sulfridge said that if parents find a half empty bottle of Robitussin in the medicine cabinet or an empty bottle in the trash and no one in the family has been sick then this should be a red flag.

Sulfridge noted that House Bill 24 is currently pending in the state legislature, which would tighten restrictions on Dextromethorphan, which is an active ingredient in Robitussin.

Among other provisions the law would restrict the sale of substances containing Dextromethorphan to people under the age of 18 years old.

Drug busts

During 2013, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department indicted 140 people, and out of those 114 of the indictments were drug related.

"Our biggest problem is pills," Baker said.

Baker said he has seen an increase in suboxone related arrests since a suboxone clinic opened in Williamsburg. There has been a suboxone clinic in Corbin for several years.

"It’s all over," he noted.

Suboxone sells for $20 – $45 per strip, but one strip usually averages about $25, Baker said.

The strips are placed on the tongue and dissolve in the mouth.

Suboxone is designed as a treatment for other drug addictions. The theory is to transition addicts from other drugs to suboxone and then wean them off suboxone over time, noted Whitley County Unite Coalition member Wayne Brooks.

Brooks noted that he is a drug counselor and will often suggest a dosage of 4 mg for clients, but one doctor that clients see prescribes 24 mg of suboxone. After a year, there is no change in the dosage.

Brooks said to him that it seems like the doctors are not doing what they should.

Baker said suboxone is a drug that is abused like other drugs.

He noted that if used properly it can help people.

Baker cited the case of a friend of his in the military, who got hooked on painkillers after an injury. The friend splits his suboxone strips into four pieces and takes one strip daily, which keeps the level of the drug steady in his system.

"He said it helps him if he takes it that way," Baker added.

Baker said that so far, he hasn’t seen much heroin in this area, but he noted that it has become very popular in Northern Kentucky and that there have been a lot of overdoses there from the drug.

Croley added that Pike County is also experiencing problems with heroin and that he knows of four heroin overdoses, which occurred in one day in Pike County.

Most of the brown tar heroin being found in Kentucky is coming from Ohio, Baker noted.

Baker noted that it is starting to get a whole lot harder to buy pills in part because of the undercover drug buys his department has made thanks in part to buy money supplied by Operation Unite.

Krokodil threat

The coalition also discussed a relatively new drug called krokodil, which originated in Russia before moving onto Europe and then the west coast.

"It’s a drug that eats your body from the inside out," said Angelika Lewis-Bowling, the former chairperson of the Whitley County UNITE Coalition, who resigned last month to take seat on the board of Operation UNITE.

Baker said that so far he isn’t aware of a confirmed case of the drug in Kentucky. He added that the life expectancy of someone, who uses the drug once is seven years.

During the meeting the coalition elected Sulfridge to replace Lewis-Bowling as chairperson.

Election forum

Lewis-Bowling also asked if the coalition was planning to sponsor any round table discussions in regards to the election.

Sulfridge noted that there is a tentative plan to do a round table discussion in the jailer’s race to discuss issues, such as reducing recidivism rates, reentry programs at the jail and drug treatment.

Croley attended Monday’s meeting with his daughter, Allison, who won one of the Whitley County Unite Coalition’s "difference maker awards" last month.

The next Whitley County Unite Coalition meeting will take place at noon on Feb. 17 at Williamsburg City Hall.