Buffalo’s Overdose Deaths Increasing During Pandemic

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Credit: ODMAP Washington/Baltimore HIDTA via Youtube

Overdose deaths in Buffalo and Erie County have been on the rise during the pandemic. According to WKBW, the 14207 zip code in Buffalo, the 14150 zip code, which includes areas of the Town of Tonawanda and the 14075 zip code in Hamburg are the hardest hit. The Erie County Medical Examiner's Office shows 38 overdose deaths pending for 2020. There has been a 50% increase in overdose deaths due to fentanyl and cocaine. Cheryl Moore, Medical Care Administrator, of Erie County Department of Public Health, who is also the Director of Opioid Task Force for Erie County, told WKBW,

"We're using the data that we get to reach out to people."

You can see the map and deaths here.

Erie County Opioid Task Force Fights to Lower Overdose Deaths

If you or someone you know needs help with an addiction, you can contact the 24-hour Addiction Hotline at 716-831-7007. You can also text 716-225-5473 for Narcan. For more information about the Opioid Task Force for Erie County, you can visit its webpage.

The Erie County Opioid Task Force has several missions, per its Executive Order, including,

That the Opioid Epidemic Task Force will include community experts from social service agencies, law enforcement, physicians, mental health and addictions providers, the health insurance industry, and members of victims’ families. That the Opioid Epidemic Task Force will examine all areas of the opioid crisis including but not limited to opioid prescribing practices, access to inpatient, outpatient, and community-based medication-assisted treatment programs, police-assisted recovery, and the distribution of lifesaving medication like Naloxone.