BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - The number of opioid-related deaths has dropped in Vermont for the first time since 2014, the state Health Department said Wednesday.
Data indicates a 15% decline, from 130 deaths in 2018 to 111 in 2019, the department said.
“Our strategies to meet this public health challenge are making a difference,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Levine in a written statement. “But even a single death tied to opioid use is too many. Each person is a friend, family member and loved one, and we owe it to them to keep making progress.”
The strategies have included access to medication-assisted treatment, patient education and rules governing prescription monitoring, the development of a statewide network for naloxone distribution, safe drug disposal, syringe service programs, a network of recovery centers, and building strong community partnerships, the department said.
“Vermont has long been laying the groundwork in addressing opioid use disorder to reach this significant milestone,” Levine said.
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