Drug overdoses have killed nearly 240 people in Lancaster County since the beginning of 2016.
Detailed analysis of those overdoses – including patient ages, gender and drugs involved – is now available on OverdoseFreePa.org, the product of a workgroup involving law-enforcement and medical professionals from across the state.
The Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association (PDAA) founded the anti-opioid workgroup, focused on projects and programs while networking with individuals and agencies – including a direct pipeline to lawmakers – to create real impact toward stalling the scourge.
Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman is one of several district attorneys actively involved in the workgroup.
“We are watching the number of these tragic cases climb with every year,” DA Stedman said. “Those numbers should serve as a call to action, and this workgroup is focused on just that.”
The group has been meeting monthly since last year. One of its first products is a collaboration with University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy on a 360-degree, online resource addressing all facets of the epidemic: OverdoseFreePa.org.
As of Thursday, the site hosted detailed data about the 238 fatal overdoses cases in Lancaster County over the past 22 months. The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office provides the data. Other Pennsylvania counties also have coroner’s data available on the site.
Some things of note for Lancaster County cases:
- About 70 percent of the overdose deaths were males.
- Heroin and fentanyl were most prevalent, each found in about half of the cases.
- 4 of the deaths were teenagers ages 17 and under.
The data can be viewed by going to OverdoseFreePa.org and clicking the “View Overdose Death Data” link at the bottom left of the homepage.
“Residents will find some of this information alarming, tragic – even frightening,” DA Stedman said. “But it is an up-to-date, genuine look at the epidemic’s grasp on our county and others across the state.”
OverdoseFreePa.org is an information-sharing center as well a resource database for those in addiction, recovery, or being impacted from the addictions of those close to them.
OverdoseFreePa.org hosts a wide range of information and tools, from basic definitions of all things related to the epidemic, the overdose data by county, recovery and treatment methods and options, current news stories and videos, and numerous other items.
Also, OverdoseFreePa.org is an up-to-date resource bank for reporters broadcasting and printing valuable stories about the widespread epidemic.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright