No new heroin overdoses reported as regional response continues
New London — A spokesman for Lawrence + Memorial Hospital said Wednesday that that there had been no additional heroin overdose patients at the hospital in the last 24 hours.
Lawrence + Memorial Hospital treated 21 overdose patients between Jan. 27 and Tuesday, an unprecedented number, according to hospital officials. At least three overdose deaths also occurred in the region in the last week.
City police reported Wednesday that two people had died of suspected heroin overdoses during the same period.
On Jan. 28, the day Lawrence + Memorial Hospital reported treating eight people for overdoses, a 47-year-old man was found dead in bed at 66 Jefferson Ave., according to Deputy Chief Peter Reichard of the New London Police Department.
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy, and officials said they need to perform toxicology tests to determine the cause and manner of death.
On Saturday, Jan. 30, as emergency medical responders continued to receive overdose calls, a 53-year-old man was found dead between a bed and wall at an apartment at 54 Nob Hill Road, according to Reichard.
The medical examiner is awaiting toxicology results to determine the cause and manner of his death.
Police are investigating whether the two deaths are related to a highly potent or possibly tainted batch of brown heroin that medical staff said caused experienced users, taking their normal amount of the drug, to overdose.
The police are trying to identify the source of the bad heroin, and the state forensic laboratory has volunteered to expedite testing on any samples of the drug that are seized during the investigation.
New London police said they submitted to the lab the heroin that was seized Monday when, in a joint effort with state police, they arrested two people on multiple drug-related charges.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, announced Wednesday that he introduced a House bill to provide emergency funding to combat the opioid and heroin epidemic.
The bill, titled the Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, is the House companion bill to an identical measure already introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
In a news release, Courtney said he also met Wednesday with local activists and students from eastern Connecticut to hear about their efforts to combat drug abuse in their communities.
"As communities across the country continue to grapple with rising prescription drug and heroin abuse, we need to provide them with additional resources to improve upon the coordination of public health outreach, treatment and recovery programs, and law enforcement efforts," said Courtney. "I am pleased to be joining Senator Shaheen, who has been a national leader on this issue, in her efforts to provide additional emergency funding to help communities across the country turn back the rising tide of drug abuse and addiction."
He noted that President Obama's budget proposal for the coming year includes $1.1 billion in new funding to address prescription opioid and heroin abuse.
Courtney's bill would authorize $600 million in emergency funding for the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to fund a range to treat the public health emergency brought on by drug addiction, as well as funding law enforcement efforts to end the illegal drug trade, the news release said.
The legislation would make grants available to states to assist in the coordination and improvement of already-existing substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
Groups supporting the bill include the American Academy of Pain Management, the College on Problems of Drug Dependence, the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the Friends of NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), according to the release.
The newly formed nonprofit group, Community Speaks Out Inc., has scheduled a vigil for Thursday at 6 p.m. on the Parade Plaza in New London to remember those who have died and share information about getting help for active users.
The region's police departments, working with prosecutors, announced Tuesday that they will be taking a unified approach to the heroin crisis, assigning additional personnel and resources to target the problem and exploring opportunities to refer for treatment those suffering from opioid addiction.
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