Overdoses on the Rise in Aroostook

ASHLAND, Maine (WAGM) - Local law enforcement says there has been a significant rise in overdoses in our area over the past several years. Ashland police say the increase is affecting the community. Ashland police say the increase in overdoses in the region is affecting the community and they are now working to spread awareness and educate the public about what an overdose can look like and how to respond.

“It’s mainly fentanyl. That’s what we’re seeing people are overdosing on. This isn’t just a law enforcement problem. It’s a public health epidemic and it’s not just on the national level. It really hits home here locally. It affects schools, it affects places of employment, neighborhoods, families. So, education is the biggest part of it. What to look for and what to do if you see signs of an overdose,” said Ashland Police Chief Michael Montpetit.

Police say there is still some denial in the community about the severity of the problem. “A lot of these folks that will overdose they’ll convince friends and family that they had a medical issue of some sort. An opioid overdose, opioids attach to receptors in your brain and what Narcan does is it blocks those receptors. So, if Narcan works on a subject that means that they’ve overdosed on an opioid,” continued the Chief.

Police also say local EMS crews have recently had to administer Narcan several times. “One thing that’s important to remember is even if Narcan has been administered to a subject that’s overdosing it’s important to still call 911 because a person can slide back into the overdose even once Narcan is administered,” the Chief warned.

Ashland police say getting more information into the hands of the public could help save lives. For more information on overdose prevention, they encourage people to visit maineaccesspoints.org.