Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Montgomery County has seen fewer overdose deaths this year compared to previous years and some attribute the decrease to a community that is working together to save lives.
Sydney Silverstein researches drug usage in the Dayton area as an assistant professor in the Center for Intervention, Treatment and Addictions Research at the Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine. She said people from different parts of the Dayton community, including academics, public health, treatment professionals, faith-based organizations and survivor groups, are working together to help spread information about resources and advocate for people who need help through addiction.
“I think when you see a small downward trend it’s a good sign,” Silverstein said.
Silverstein has interviewed people who use drugs and she said many are trying to use as safely as possible because they don’t want to die. She said people are taking harm-reduction precautions like carrying Narcan and not using alone.
“No one who lives with an opioid-use disorder or a substance-abuse disorder, no one wants to live that life but sometimes getting better isn’t as easy as going to treatment,” Silverstein said. “And so in the meantime people kind of try to take these measures and try to draw upon resources...”
She said Dayton has been at the forefront of innovation to stop overdose deaths. Montgomery County is expected to announce another initiative this week to keep the community informed about drug overdoses.
