DENVER – The number of drug-related overdose deaths in 2023 is the highest on record, according to data from the Denver City and County Medical Examiner’s Office.
of Office reported In the year In 2023, 522 people died from overdoses, 342 of those deaths were linked to fentanyl. For comparison, of the total 207 drug-related overdose deaths in 2018, 17 were related to fentanyl.
“Honestly, I wasn’t too surprised to see how much they went up. “We can feel the workload here year-round,” said Dr. Sterling McLaren, the medical examiner and chief medical officer for the city of Denver. I think it’s disappointing. I really hope we can find some way to help people.
McClaren said that as of Tuesday, nearly 100 cases were awaiting final results from completed autopsies, meaning some had not yet received toxicology results.
“The 522 number can still go up, and it probably will,” McLaren told Denver7.
In the year The biggest problem with drug-related overdoses in 2023 comes from using too many substances at once, says McLaren.
“Most of our drug overdose deaths involve more than one substance…not just fentanyl, but methamphetamine and other drugs as well. “The reason I brought up methamphetamine in the first place is because it’s commonly seen in combination with fentanyl,” McLaren said. It is very difficult to say.
McLaren said the city of Denver is working diligently to address the issue.
“I hope that we have some things in our work and that we can work with the right community partners and make good decisions about how we can approach this a few steps back? Just like we need to. To go back in time and find out where we do these deaths, and the city is currently on a lot of efforts. I think she’s working,” McLaren said.
Unfortunately, Brooke Perez understands firsthand how critical it is to research best practices for helping those with substance abuse problems. Perez lost her older sister, Krystle, to a drug overdose in 2017. She then lost her older brother Kevan to an overdose in 2020.
“Both of them. [Krystle] And Kevan has struggled with addiction for over ten years. And so, we knew it was coming. And they were both outdoors and in medical facilities. And so it was a very hard fight for all of us,” Perez said. “I didn’t just lose them, I also lost a part. My life was surrounded by them and everything they do. And you know, we had everything for a year and we did everything together. And really, I had to find my identity again. I was not a sister. And trying to figure out who I am now in this life, it was very difficult – and still is.”
Perez believes people living with substance abuse problems don’t get the attention and resources they deserve, and says Denver’s increase in drug overdose deaths is an indication of that.
“What are we doing to prevent this?” Perez asked. “Because of that stigma, you see homeless people living on the streets, and when people walk by them they look like crooks. You see someone who says they’re addicted to heroin and they look like a good person. And the stigma attached to it. I feel like, if that stigma disappeared, disappeared, disappeared from our society and people were more helpful and welcoming to this disease, with mental health, you know, where would we be? What does it look like?”
She founded a non-profit organization in honor of her two siblings. KK fearlesswhich organizes concerts to raise funds for medical institutions. Perez said music was chosen as the basis because Crystal and Kevan were both musically talented.
“They always gravitated toward musical instruments when they were in therapy,” Perez explained. “Seeing what made them on their journey was so powerful, and that’s what we hope to do with this organization.”
Perez hopes to open a coffee shop that hires individuals coming out of treatment and looking for work. She has run a coffee shop for a few years and wants to see the nonprofit organization achieve its goals.
Perez says the KK is the best way to support Fearless Alba. Donations of money or equipment.
Ultimately, she hopes the community will understand that the 522 drug-related deaths in 2023 are not a statistic.
“These people are outnumbered. And what I said to my sister and brother, I’m not going to let them go down as just a number,” Perez said. “All these people are more than a number.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, There are resources to help.. You can call. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Confidentially, for free, anytime day or night. The number is 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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