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State data shows meth overdose deaths increasing, heroin deaths on decline

Posted at 6:55 PM, Jun 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-03 21:01:49-04

COLORADO- As the state ramps up efforts to combat the ongoing opioid crisis, new numbers show the number of overdoses with meth has increased more in the last year than deaths with heroin and opiates.

“It’s cheap it’s easy, almost anyone can make it seems like,” said Dr. Michael Nerenberg, co-founder of the Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association.

Nerenberg sees patients weekly who need resources to overcome opioid addictions. He says in the last year in a half they’ve noticed more people discussing meth use. Still, the treatment options aren’t as abundant.

“It’s not the same kind of thing, we don’t have medications like we do for opiates, so we don’t have a suboxone for meth,” Nerenberg said.

New data from the state shows Pueblo County saw 16 deaths from meth overdoses, and 6 heroin deaths. In El Paso county, a similar trend with 57 meth overdose deaths compared to 46 heroin deaths.

“To me, Meth is the most damaging worst drug there is,” Nerenberg said.

The co-founder of the organization added that he believes the access to Narcan and other resources for opioid users could be a contributing factor to the decrease in deaths.