Avondale church guests Caracole harm reduction services coordinator to discuss overdose prevention

Rashida Pearson, the coordinator of Caracole's harm reduction services, gave a talk at Living God Church in Avondale about preventing overdoses. (Photo by Roberto Sorin from Unsplash)

During the harm reduction resource fair organized by the A1 Stigma Free Campaign at the Living God Church in Avondale, Rashida Pearson, discussed overdose prevention among a group of approximately 50 individuals.

According to The Enquirer, the meeting room was filled with tables of overdose prevention supplies.

As the coordinator for Caracole harm reduction services, Pearson demonstrated the use of specially treated, thin paper strips.

According to Pearson, these strips can detect the presence of fentanyl in drugs such as cocaine and meth.

She encouraged all attendees to take the strips and receive a free box of Narcan before departing.

She also expressed concern for children and stressed the importance of using available tools to prevent harm and preserve lives.

Surge of Overdose Deaths

Living God Church is one of 11 churches in the Cincinnati area with predominantly Black members.

The members have voluntarily pledged to educate their communities about the significant danger of fentanyl overdose deaths to their families and community.

With this, Pearson also discussed the alarming increase in overdose deaths among Black individuals.

The surge in overdose deaths is occurring in Hamilton County and mirrors a nationwide trend in the opioid epidemic, which calls for new local strategies to combat the crisis.

According to the Hamilton County coroner's records, there were 47 overdose deaths of Black individuals in the area in 2016, which has increased by 187% to 135 in 2021.

Although the total number of overdose deaths among Black individuals in Hamilton County is lower than the number of overdose deaths among white individuals (515 in total in 2021), the rapid is concerning to experts across the country.

Between 2016 and 2021, there was a nearly 200% rise in overdose deaths among Black residents.

Meanwhile, white and other populations only experienced a 7% increase during the same period.

Although records for 2022 are incomplete, preliminary data suggests a decline in overdose deaths among all populations, but the decline is more significant among white individuals.

The trend is consistent with a national pattern. The opioid epidemic, which initially affected mainly white drug users, is now also causing harm to Black and other communities of color.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overdose death rates in 2020 were "significantly" higher among Black Americans compared to white Americans.

Fentanyl

According to Spectrum News 1, Denise Driehaus, who is the chair of the county Addiction Response Coalition, believes that fentanyl is the main cause of the increase in overdose deaths.

She suggested that the drug is either more widely available or mixed with different substances, such as cocaine.

From May to September of this year, the Ohio DEA seized over 65 kilograms of fentanyl powder and 87,000 pills containing fentanyl, which is enough to kill over four million people.

Due to the surge in overdoses, Hamilton County released a public health alert to inform the public of the dangers and urge them to change their behaviors.

Driehaus recommends using fentanyl test strips as an additional precaution and avoiding using drugs alone.

The Quick Response Team is also active in the community, distributing Narcan and fentanyl test strips and providing education to prevent further overdose deaths.

Coyne, a member of the Quick Response Team, explains that they are working in areas with a high number of overdoses to help as many people as possible.