What are opiods?
The term "opioid" designates a class of drugs derived from opium or manufactured synthetically with a chemical structure similar to opium. Heroin is a naturally derived opioid. Other opioids such as oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, morphine, meperdine, methadone and codeine, are used therapeutically for the management of pain and other conditions. These products may be diverted from pharmaceutical purposes and used illicitly.
| Fatal heroin overdoses |
Fatal heroin overdoses
Between Jan. 1, 2005 and Aug. 31, 2006, there were 74 opiate-related deaths in the greater Brockton and Taunton region, according to a review of death certificates filed with local town and city clerks. The total deaths will be higher than the town-by-town breakdown since some of those who overdosed and died did not live in the area. The following is a breakdown of the number of local residents who died of fatal heroin overdoses.
|
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
Total |
| Abington |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| Avon |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Bridgewater |
2 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
| Brockton |
4 |
12 |
3 |
19 |
| Carver |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| East Bridgewater |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Easton |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Halifax |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Hanover |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Hanson |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Holbrook |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Kingston |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Lakeville |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mansfield |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Middleboro |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
| Norton |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Pembroke |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Plymouth |
1 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
| Randolph |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| Raynham |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
| Rockland |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Stoughton |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| Taunton |
3 |
6 |
4 |
13 |
| Wareham |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| West Bridgewater |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Whitman |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Source: Community death certificates |
|
Overdoses treated by hospital
The following shows emergency room visits for opioid-related abuse/dependence and poisoning treated by selected local hospitals.
| Overdoses treated by hospital |
| Hospital |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
Total |
| Brockton Hospital |
318 |
328 |
349 |
995 |
| Caritas Good Samaritan |
193 |
209 |
173 |
575 |
Jordan Hospital |
112 |
107 |
127 |
346 |
| Morton Hospital |
165 |
131 |
138 |
434 |
South Shore Hospital |
158 |
150 |
192 |
500 |
| Tobey Hospital |
18 |
11 |
18 |
47 |
Total |
964 |
936 |
997 |
2,897 |
| Source: Mass Department of Public Health |
Total opiod-related abuse, dependence and poisoning cases sorted by residence
The following chart shows the total number of cases treated by any acute-care hospital emergency department in the state.
| Total cases treated |
| Patient's residence |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
Total |
| Abington |
20 |
31 |
40 |
91 |
| Avon |
7 |
2 |
7 |
16 |
| Berkley |
4 |
2 |
9 |
15 |
| Braintree |
49 |
48 |
44 |
141 |
| Bridgewater |
31 |
42 |
34 |
107 |
| Brockton |
248 |
292 |
269 |
809 |
| Canton |
39 |
33 |
35 |
107 |
| Carver |
14 |
14 |
14 |
42 |
| Cohasset |
-- |
-- |
-- |
5 |
| Dighton |
13 |
17 |
10 |
40 |
| Duxbury |
8 |
12 |
6 |
26 |
| E. Bridgewater |
15 |
16 |
15 |
46 |
| Easton |
16 |
18 |
37 |
71 |
| Hanover |
11 |
8 |
12 |
31 |
| Hanson |
9 |
12 |
14 |
35 |
| Hingham |
7 |
10 |
13 |
30 |
| Holbrook |
20 |
19 |
30 |
69 |
| Hull |
39 |
40 |
22 |
101 |
| Kingston |
7 |
5 |
7 |
19 |
| Lakeville |
3 |
9 |
2 |
14 |
| Mansfield |
15 |
13 |
15 |
43 |
| Middleboro |
51 |
22 |
28 |
101 |
| Norton |
15 |
16 |
36 |
67 |
| Norwell |
2 |
6 |
7 |
15 |
| Pembroke |
15 |
13 |
17 |
45 |
| Plymouth |
42 |
41 |
53 |
136 |
| Plympton |
7 |
3 |
11 |
21 |
| Quincy |
290 |
275 |
265 |
830 |
| Randolph |
45 |
43 |
37 |
125 |
| Raynham |
15 |
12 |
21 |
48 |
| Rehoboth |
2 |
8 |
4 |
14 |
| Rockland |
35 |
33 |
28 |
96 |
| Scituate |
4 |
17 |
23 |
44 |
| Sharon |
5 |
11 |
5 |
21 |
| Stoughton |
36 |
39 |
35 |
110 |
| Taunton |
132 |
121 |
114 |
367 |
| Wareham |
22 |
10 |
13 |
45 |
| W. Bridgewater |
5 |
5 |
11 |
21 |
| Weymouth |
107 |
148 |
123 |
378 |
| Whitman |
33 |
27 |
32 |
92 |
| Total |
1,439 |
1,493 |
1,502 |
4,434 |
-- cells which total fewer than 10 cases are suppressed
|
Source: Mass Department of Public Health
|