WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 25, 2018 3
Ridgewood highest in opioids deaths in Queens: city
BY MARK HALLUM
EDITORIAL@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@MARKUUSAN
The city Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene has targeted
Ridgewood, Fresh Meadows
and the Rockaways as neighborhoods
with high levels of fatalities from opioid
abuse and plans to use City Hall in
Your Borough to raise awareness and
distribute naloxone, a life-saving drug
for use in the event of an overdose.
About 270 residents from Queens
died from opioid overdoses in 2017, with
highest rates among white people between
the ages of 35 to 54, according to
the agency. The Health Department will
spend the next two months visiting up
to 800 primary care clinics in targeted
neighborhoods to encourage naloxone
for at risk patients and their families.
City Councilman Donovan Richards
serves as chair of the Committee on
Public Safety and spoke about how
critical it is identify factors that lead
to opioid abuse while stemming the
number of deaths.
“The opioid epidemic continues to be
a major issue for communities across
New York City and while we work to
identify and address the systemic
factors that contribute to more cases
of abuse, it is critical that we as a city
step up to save every life we can,” Richards
said.
Councilman Robert Holden, who
represents Ridgewood, said he has
worked to combat the opioid crisis
in his district by issuing resolutions
urging congress to pass key bills, some
of which are awaiting the president’s
signature.
“The opioid crisis has heavily aff ected
my district, and as legislators we
need to do everything in our power
to combat the irresponsible distribution
of these drugs and provide better
treatment for those struggling with
addiction,” Holden said.
Fentanyl is currently the most
destructive opioid, according to the
Health Department, with 54 percent
of overdose deaths being attributed
to its use.
“It is imperative that the city does
everything in its power to ensure
those struggling with opioid addiction
receive treatment and care instead of
punishment and incarceration,” Councilman
Rory Lancman, who represents
Fresh Meadows, said. “Connecting people
in need with assistance is only possible
through education and outreach.”
The Health Department’s Queens
offi ce holds regular classes to educate
the public on opioid risks and off ers
free naloxone kits with training on
how to use them.
Major drug store chains such Walgreens
and CVS also off er naloxone, a
Dept. of Health press release noted.
“With the rate of opioid overdose
doubling in the last eight years, it is
important that the NYC Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene is moving
to equip healthcare providers with
the knowledge they need to keep New
Yorkers safe,” said Councilman Barry
Grodenchik.
Fentanyl can be found in heroine,
cocaine, methamphetamine and ketamine
as opioid related deaths remain
at epidemic levels across the United
States and has made its way into the
national political dialogue.
Photo via Shutterstock
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