BCCS CEO Dr. Lynn Morrison: We Can Reduce Overdose Deaths by Stopping the Stigma of Treatment

We Can Reduce Overdose Deaths by Stopping the Stigma of Treatment

The recent news about historic numbers tied to Delaware overdose deaths is shocking. Particularly tragic is the indiscriminate nature of these deaths – people of all ages, backgrounds and socioeconomic levels.

Everyone is vulnerable to becoming a statistic; by this year’s end, it’s expected we’ll have seen three drug-related deaths every two days in our state alone.

The major culprit is fentanyl, present in about 80% of overdose deaths. A synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine, fentanyl is so cheap to produce that people who manufacture illegal drugs use it to make other drugs more powerful and less expensive to make.

Fighting the battle against opioids has taken a more urgent and deadly twist with the introduction of fentanyl, but there is something we can do to squash its deadly march: stop the stigma of treatment.

The support of family and friends is vitally important to those trying to free themselves from the grip of addiction.

BCCS provides treatment at its locations around the state, and we are fortunate to have the capacity to help even more people. Still, it’s clear we need the larger community to actively support and encourage friends and loved ones to begin their recovery journeys.

In addition, encouraging harm reduction efforts – like counseling, medically assisted treatment and naloxone distribution to those who need it most and are in imminent danger of overdose – has proven to lower overdose rates.

Help is here. By stopping the stigma of treatment, we can help more people and reduce overdose deaths. Let’s work together to show there are avenues for a more hopeful new year and better quality of life for those who need a little extra help.

Lynn Morrison, Ph.D.
BCCS CEO