MPD now seeing one fentanyl overdose a day on average

MEDFORD, Ore. —Medford Police says it’s responding to one fentanyl overdose, each day on average. More than once a week is fatal.

MPD has been telling us that fentanyl use has been exploding in recently. Lieutenant Mike Budreau says that despite its danger, it’s now the number one drug in the Rogue Valley, surpassing heroin and meth.

MPD says it tries to curb the intake of drugs into the valley. But there’s such a high demand for it, that it sees no indication it will slow down anytime soon. The highly sought-after drug has led to 13 overdose deaths this year in Medford.

“We are seeing really a lot of deaths just from the overdoses and these deaths are someone’s son, someone’s daughter someone’s relative and it’s just really tragic all around, and it’s so preventable.”

Just this year, the agency’s documented naloxone being deployed 53 times. Out of those, only 3 people died, according to Budreau.

Naloxone, also called Narcan, can quickly restore normal breathing for a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped. Naloxone only works for opioid drugs, like heroin, morphine, oxycodone, methadone, hydrocodone, codeine, and fentanyl.

It’s readily available at many local pharmacies and could save your loved one’s life.