TRENTON: New Jersey continues to struggle with the grip of a heroin epidemic, which gained national attention in 2010. On average, 8 people die each day from overdoses, which may be outdated as it is a July 2018 figure. Ocean County continues to get hardest hit as one of the top-three worst counties for drug deaths.

According to a July 2018 statistic from NJ.COM; it projected the total deaths at over 2,800 at for the year. Early estimates will put that number well over 3,000 by the time the numbers are finalized.

Ocean County continues to get hit hard, with an estimated 5 overdoses each day based on EMS calls broadcast over the scanner. In recent months some towns have decided to attempt to hide the calls over the air in an effort to mask the epidemic. Whether we post the calls or not, the reality is the same. Things are getting WORSE with no end in sight.

Why is Ocean County struggling so much with the drug addiction? There is no stereotypical “junkie” or drug addict anymore; the reach of addiction knows no boundaries. Overdose calls come in for the poorest of areas all the way up to the mansions and exclusive neighborhoods. Addicts often choose public areas to use drugs with the hopes of using their score quickly and if they OD, someone will find them.

Narcan alone is responsible for saving hundreds of people, but it is simply putting a band-aid on the problem. We need a sensible drug policy that can get people help, maybe even sometimes forcibly. The current policy of Respond, Narcan, Hospital, Release isn’t working as some individuals are known to get Narcan administered multiple times in a day if not week.

It is time that our elected officials sit down with other experts and professionals to tackle the issue. If not, we will continue to see our county residents die each day from drugs. A possible answer is waiting in Trenton with Murphy’s promised marijuana legalization. Studies show that states with legal recreational marijuana have fewer opioid deaths.

Check back for more to this story once we finalize the data from 2018. Unless we do something, each year will bring more deaths than the last.

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