The rising rates of overdose deaths in Connecticut are alarming.

Based on raw data, Connecticut municipalities are on a path to having more OD deaths in 2019 than in 2018. Recently five people have died in Norwalk during a six-day period due to an overdose. The following are the five towns in Connecticut that have reported the most overdose deaths in 2019.

  1. Hartford: 45
  2. Waterbury: 34
  3. Bridgeport: 30
  4. New Haven: 26
  5. New Britain: 21

According to an article on the website ctinsider.com., the number of fatal overdose deaths has tripled since 2012. In 2018, Connecticut reported 1,017 OD's to 357 in 2012. Connecticut's Chief Medical Examiner, James Gill attributes the rise in OD deaths to the nasty drug, fentanyl which is a synthetic opioid that is 80-100 times stronger than morphine.

According to the website, dea.gov., fentanyl can become deadly when mixed with heroin. Many users who think they are purchasing heroin may not be aware that the heroin has been laced with fentanyl.

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