Expanded Maine Drug Death Report for 2017
Published: 2018
Publication Name:
Publication URL: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mcspc_healthsafety/6/
Abstract:
This report, funded by the Maine Office of Attorney General, provides a summary of statistics regarding drug fatalities in Maine during 2017. Data for the report were collected at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. A “drug death” is identified when one or more drugs are mentioned on the death certificate as a cause or significant contributing factor for the death. Analysis of these deaths reveals an 11% increase over 2016 in the total number of fatalities due to drugs, driven by a sharp 27% increase in overdoses due to non-pharmaceutical fentanyl and fentanyl analogs, and a sharp 27% decrease in heroin deaths. In addition, there has been an increase in both cocaine and methamphetamine deaths, and a decrease in deaths caused by benzodiazepines.
Citation: Sorg, Marcella H. 2018. Expanded Maine Drug Death Report for 2017. Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine, Orono.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mcspc_healthsafety/6