State says sharp increase in Alaska overdose deaths linked to fentanyl; invites Alaskans to free webinar.

Last week, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services released a statement in regards to the surge in drug overdose deaths from 2020-2021. Alaska experienced a 68% increase in the number of overdose deaths, from 146 drug overdose deaths in 2020 to 245 in 2021.

In the statement, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne Zink said it is important to get this information out across the state because while not surprising in many local communities such as the Mat-Su, “It’s a danger in every Alaska community.”

Dr. Zink went on to state that this sharp increase is driven primarily by fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid often found in a variety of counterfeit and illicit drugs. Numbers indicate that 6 out of every 10 drug overdose deaths involve fentanyl.

As previously reported, fentanyl is 50-100 times more potent than heroin. It is cheaper and easier to make, which makes it perfect to act as a filler for other substances such as heroin or cocaine. It may be added to counterfeit pills that can pass for prescription opioids or stimulants. Fentanyl cannot be detected by sight or smell, and even a little bit can cause an overdose, which is why experts say that if you have a drug that wasn’t prescribed to you, be aware that it could contain fentanyl.

There are tools that can be used to prevent overdose deaths. Fentanyl test strips test for the presence of fentanyl in pills or other substance, and are free here in Alaska.

Another tool to prevent opioid overdoses is Naloxone, commonly called Narcan. It is a nasal spray that can quickly reverse an overdose by acting as a blocker to the effects of opioids.

“We can save lives by ensuring you are only taking medications prescribed for you, seeking treatment if you are using illicit drugs, and for every Alaskan-especially those at risk and their friends and family-carrying Naloxone,” said Zink.

Narcan and fentanyl test strips are available for free through Project HOPE, at Alaska’s Public Health Centers, and Overdose Response Program organizations throughout the communities.

For Alaskans wanting to learn more about drug overdose deaths, fentanyl, Narcan, and how to safely administer it, DHSS will be hosting a public training webinar session this Thursday from noon to 1 pm. Attendees do not need to pre-register, and the Zoom link and phone information can be found on the State of Alaska DHSS page.