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Del Norte’s Drug Problem

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I recently accepted an invitation from Jermaine Brubaker to join Rx Safe Del Norte Coalition’s quarterly call. During the call, Michelle Greene from the Del Norte County Coroner’s Office presented opioid overdose data that challenged many of my own misconceptions. 

Del Norte’s Drug Problem –  2024 By the Numbers:

  • 198: calls to emergency services for suspected overdose 
  • 65: times Naloxone was administered to reverse a suspected overdose
  • 24: drug-related deaths in Del Norte County
Some of the data presented on the RX Safe Del Norte quarterly coalition call, based on EMS and Law Enforcement Call Data as input to the ODMAP Overdose Detection Mapping Application.

Stereotypes aside, we can’t blame young people or transients for these figures. In fact, local data shows that opioid overdoses have been most common amongst housed white males in their 40s and 50s, according to the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. 

2023 Overdose-related-death age demographic data from the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, presented during the RX Safe Del Norte quarterly coalition call.

While methamphetamine remains the largest contributor to incidents of fatal overdose, the numbers suggest that incidents of fentanyl-induced deaths would have been significantly higher had it not been for existing Naloxone distribution programs. 

These numbers don’t lie — harm reduction saves lives. 

Perhaps the most shocking statistic I learned was that Del Norte County currently has the highest rate, per capita, of emergency department overdose visits in the entire state of California.

2023 Opiod-Related overdose emergency department visits ranked by county –California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard

What can we do about this? 

I’m pleased to report that KFUG Community Radio has teamed up with Rx Safe Del Norte and the Smart Workforce Center to tackle the task. Together, utilizing summer bridge grant funds from the Klamath Promise Neighborhood initiative,  we are launching the T.A.C.O. C.A.T. initiative.  It’s more than just a weird palindrome… it stands for Teen Awareness Combating Overdose Community Advocacy Training. 

T.A.C.O. C.A.T. recruitment flyer, designed by Monique Camarena

We are looking to hire a team of teens to be trained in overdose prevention who will use this knowledge to create a media campaign about overdose prevention and harm reduction.

Interested high school sophomores, juniors, or seniors must submit their applications to the Smart Workforce Center at 875 5th Street in Crescent City or their school’s counseling office by close of business on Friday to be considered. This is a paid part-time summer work experience opportunity that will take place in June and July. 

For more information about harm reduction resources in Del Norte County, visit http://www.rxsafedelnorte.org/