Tompkins County deals with uptick in opioid overdoses

Tompkins County is grappling with a significant rise in opioid overdose deaths, sparking concern among local officials and community leaders.

Six individuals have succumbed to opioid overdoses this month alone, including five deaths reported by law enforcement in the past ten days. This uptick marks a distressing trend in the county, surpassing the number of overdose deaths recorded in the first three months of the previous year.

The Ithaca Police Department has highlighted the issue as “unusual” and is conducting ongoing investigations into the recent fatalities.

The presence of potent drugs like fentanyl and xylazine in the local drug supply has been identified as a contributing factor to the increase in overdose incidents.

These substances, significantly stronger than traditional opioids, are complicating efforts to combat the crisis, with Narcan interventions becoming less effective or requiring multiple doses.