Champaign Co. officials warn of rise in opioid use, encourage participation in upcoming Narcan event
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Across the country, Joe Trotter knows opioid use is up. In Illinois, he said it’s up about 10%. When that’s on the rise, that means the risk of overdoses goes up too, the harm reduction program coordinator with the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department (CUPHD) said.
In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 3,908 people in Illinois died from drug overdoses. In the United States, the same report shows one person dies every 5 minutes from the same thing.
“We do know overdoses are up nationally, overdoses are up in Champaign County as well,” Trotter said.
He’s one of the people wanting to turn that around.
“An overdose is when someone uses more of an opioid than they expect to be using or more than their body can handle at that particular moment in time,” he explained.
Those situations can have an optional impact on families. Stephen Born sees it all firsthand as a funeral home director.
“Confusion, denial, ‘I should’ve been there,’ a lot of guilt. Seeing that as much as I have, it really takes an effect on us too,” Born said.
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Seeing people feel that way time and time again is just one reason he joined an opioid abuse task force, aiming to make a difference, raise awareness and spread education.
Part of that means starting conversations with people in busy, accessible places at the Champaign Public Library.
That’s where they’ll be on Thursday, Feb. 15, giving out life-saving drugs like Narcan kits and Fentanyl strips.
Steve Thuney, the Champaign County Coroner, is working alongside Trotter and Born to accomplish the same goal, getting reversal drugs in the hands of everyone. In the county, Thuney said he sees about 50-55 deaths a year.
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“50 some people dying from an overdose is unacceptable,” Thuney said. “It’s a problem we can solve in the community if we really look to it and say we’re going to put the resources forward.”
He feels things like Narcan can have an even greater impact when you put more tools in the toolbox as well.
“That needs to be with other programs to get the folks off of drugs,” Thuney said. “We need to find ways to treat people and get them off their addiction.”
Whether that be Narcan, Fentanyl strips or seeking out counseling, Trotter wants people prepared to make a difference.
“We need to recognize that people are going to continue to use drugs,” he said. “We need to be ready, willing and able, to help them and save them when they use more than they can handle.”
Their next event is Thursday, Feb. 15 at the Champaign Public Library from 5-7p.m. Anybody can ask questions and get life-saving reversal drugs for free.
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