August 18, 2013
Butte
In 2012 of the 72 overdose deaths only 3 were attributed to alcohol directly, but frequently overdose victims have used alcohol with other drugs.
From 2010 through 2012 drug overdoses killed 254 victims according to Butte County Public Health. That’s an average of 85 overdose victims per year, which means that someone dies every 4.3 days on average or almost two victims per week.
Within the last 10 years, 641 citizens have died from drug overdoses. In 2000, there were 13 overdose victims. By 2007, that number went up by 81 percent to 67 overdose victims. The drug-induced death rate has risen dramatically in recent years.
To put it another way, residents of Butte County are 2.5 times more likely to die from a drug-induced death than from a motor-vehicle crash.
In 2012, the youngest overdose victim was 16; the oldest was 84. Of this group, 28 were females and 44 males, with a combined average age of 48 years old. Overdoses are killing more 30, 40 & 50 year old individuals than any other age demographic.
With few exceptions those who have died from a drug overdose had more than one drug in their system. Nationally, pharmaceutical drug use now kills more people than illicit drugs.
Obviously, a problem of this magnitude will require a countywide effort and extremely strong leadership.
The best case scenario would be for Butte County’s hospitals, medical professionals, county supervisors, health services, law enforcement, city leaders, community service organizations, citizens, and Chico State University to all say that enough is enough and that it is time to address this issue collectively.
Recently Chico lost 5 victims to alcohol use and the list from the above paragraph mightily awoke from their deep, deep sleep. On the other hand in the last decade Butte County has lost over 640 victims, currently one every 4.3 days, the majority from prescription drugs and the silence is deafening.
Butte County citizens must decide if men, women and children dying from drug overdoses every 4.3 days is acceptable. If not, is Butte County willing to do the hard work needed to begin reducing this extreme rate of senseless drug-induced deaths?
Watch KHSL news story by clicking on the link below.
According to the County Health Status Profiles 2012 California Department of Public Health report the state average for drug-induced death is 10.8 per 100K population.
In Butte County the most current 3 year average rate of drug-induced death is 37.6 per 100K population, nearly 3.5 times higher than the state average and our Butte County government's priority is to spray mosquitoes.
County Health Status Profiles 2012 California Department of Public Health DRUG-INDUCED DEATHS, 2008-2010 the crude death rate from drug-induced deaths for California was 10.8 deaths per 100,000 population, a risk of dying equivalent to approximately one death for every 9,276 persons. This rate was based on a 2008 through 2010 three-year average number of deaths equaling 4,170.7 and population count of 38,688,293 as of July 1, 2007.
To see the entire County Health Status Profiles 2012report click on the link below.
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/pubsforms/Pubs/OHIRProfiles2012.pdf
1. Chico State University senior Kyle Bartley, 22 a business major died August 19, 2006. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs cocaine, oxycodone and diphenhydramine were the cause of death.
County Health Status Profiles 2012 California Department of Public Health DRUG-INDUCED DEATHS, 2008-2010 the crude death rate from drug-induced deaths for California was 10.8 deaths per 100,000 population, a risk of dying equivalent to approximately one death for every 9,276 persons. This rate was based on a 2008 through 2010 three-year average number of deaths equaling 4,170.7 and population count of 38,688,293 as of July 1, 2007.
To see the entire County Health Status Profiles 2012report click on the link below.
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/pubsforms/Pubs/OHIRProfiles2012.pdf
In 72 months EIGHT Chico State University Students died from mixtures
of prescription & illicit drugs, some included alcohol!
1. Chico State University senior Kyle Bartley, 22 a business major died August 19, 2006. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs cocaine, oxycodone and diphenhydramine were the cause of death.
2. Chico State University senior Stephen William Davis 23 a liberal-studies major entering his credential program to become a teacher, died May 13, 2007. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs oxycodone, cocaine, morphine, codeine and alcohol was the cause of death.
3. Chico State University senior Angela Marsh a biology major died September 9, 2007. An autopsy concluded a lethal cocktail of drugs oxycodone, methadone, fentanyl and meth were the cause of death
4. Chico State University senior Robert E Sheehan Jr. a manufacturing technology major died September 27, 2008. According to police, Sheehan was found dead in his bedroom at an Ivy Street address late Saturday night by roommates, the victim of an apparent accidental overdose -possibly from pain killers.
5. Chico State University sophomore Gina Marie Maggio 21 a communication sciences and disorders major with a minor in child development died October 21, 2009. An investigation concluded a lethal cocktail of prescription and illicit drugs were the cause of death.
6. Former Chico State University student Reid H. Englebrecht 19 died January 31, 2010. Police said there was obvious evidence of illegal drug use in the apartment.
7. Chico State University freshman Ernesto Robles 19 studied physical therapy and participated in the EOP program died July 14, 2011. Prior to the conclusion of a pending autopsy Coroner's officials suspect Robles died from an overdose of drugs and/or alcohol.
8. Chico State University student Carly Callaghan 22 a graphic design major died September 16, 2012. An autopsy concluded a cocktail of morphine and alcohol were the cause of death
In 72 months EIGHT Chico State University Students died from mixtures
of prescription & illicit drugs, some included alcohol!
www.drugpreventioned.com
Prescription and Illicit Drugs Chico’s / Butte County's Deadliest Problem
When a community makes a concerted effort to combat a problem it must first correctly identify that specific problem.
Alcohol is a drug and one of the most widely used, but it is not Chico’s deadliest problem. It has become obvious that Chico University and the community are willing to specifically target alcohol, but seem hesitant to address and prioritize other drugs that since August 19, 2006 have actually caused more student deaths (8) than alcohol alone.
Students’ deaths in Chico have been caused by a genre of drugs. Many types of drugs in many combinations are killing Chico’s students. This is a fact. Some reading this may say this is a trivial point, but quite the opposite is true.
According to Wasting the Best and Brightest: Substance Abuse at America's Colleges and Universities (Columbia University CASA report) from 1993 to 2005, the proportion of students who abuse prescription painkillers like Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin shot up 343 percent to 240,000 students; stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall, 93 percent to 225,000; tranquilizers like Xanax and Valium, 450 percent to 171,000; and sedatives like Nembutal and Seconal, 225 percent to 101,000.
To quantify student overdose deaths in Chico as only an alcohol problem makes the costly and extremely important work of a community coalition more difficult and less effective.
Believing alcohol is an approachable problem while treating other drug overdoses as a low priority is problematic. By addressing all drugs as the problem effective prevention becomes inclusive not selective which produces better outcomes. This should be the priority.
James C. Bettencourt
Chico, Ca. 95973
530-330-3139
