To the editor:
I’m responding to Emily Rosenberg’s recent article titled “Lynn opioid deaths down 40%.” The decrease in deaths is encouraging, but the fact that there were 45 opioid-related deaths in Lynn and 2,125 confirmed or suspected opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts in 2023 is still much too high. These numbers are thought to be underreported due to deaths where opioids were a contributing factor. It also doesn’t consider the number of people whose overdoses were reversed through the administration of naloxone (i.e. Narcan). We simply cannot take the eye off the ball on the issue especially, as noted by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the drug supply is being “increasingly poisoned with fentanyl present in 90% of the overdose deaths where a toxicology report was available.”
As alarming as these numbers still might be, what is even more concerning is the number of people suffering from substance-use disorder (SUD) related to alcohol. While we were focused on the opioid crisis and dealing with a pandemic, we have quietly seen the number of people seeking treatment for alcohol addiction rise to levels that far outweigh those seeking treatment for opioids. Our data shows that 51% of people seeking treatment at our Danvers facility are for alcohol addiction, compared to 24% addicted to opioids. Data from our Westminster location shows that 39% entered for alcohol addiction treatment, while 21% sought help for opioid use. The remainder of our patients are seeking treatment for cocaine, cannabis, sedatives, and hypnotics. In addition to SUD, we understand that the vast majority of patients present with a mental or medical comorbidity, so we are often dealing with more than one issue. Knowing this, we are able to effectively help patients manage co-occurring disorders that can play a role in their recovery process.
While we must remain focused on the crushing effects related to opioid addiction, we must also refocus on the overwhelming number of people in the Commonwealth that need support for alcohol addiction. Here are just a few of the startling numbers reported by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics that reinforce this need:
- 21.1% of Massachusetts adults older than 18 binge years old drink at least once per month.
- An average of 2,760 annual deaths in Massachusetts are attributed to excessive alcohol use.
- The five-year average annual rate of excessive alcohol deaths per capita in Massachusetts increased by as much as 57.2% from 2015 to 2019. (At Recovery Centers of America, we expect these numbers to be even higher once more recent data becomes available).
- Massachusetts averages one death from excessive alcohol use for every 2,547 people ages 18 and older or 4.88 deaths for every 10,000 adults.
If you or someone you know is suffering with alcohol addiction or any SUD, please know that help is available and there are millions of people living happy, productive lives in recovery.
Sincerely,
Dr. Myles Jen Kin
Medical Director, New England
Recovery Centers of America
