Uptick In Drug Overdoses Hits Wakefield Area: Police

WAKEFIELD, MA — An uptick in drug overdoses has recently hit Wakefield and surrounding communities, Wakefield Police said on Wednesday.

Police urged caution, as a result, warning that the overdoses may be due to drugs such as fentanyl being added to other drugs, including cocaine.

Police said they had seen this uptick “over the past few weeks.”

“If you or your loved one is suffering from a substance use disorder, or using drugs recreationally, please be extra vigilant,” Wakefield Police said.

Police urged anyone using drugs to avoid taking substances alone.

“Check your loved ones frequently if they are using, and call 911 immediately if you suspect an overdose,” police continued.

Wakefield has fentanyl test strips which can help determine whether a drug contains fentanyl. Those are available through the Wakefield Board of Health and the town Recovery Coach, as noted by Wakefield Police this week.

Police directed anyone needing test strips or help accessing a detox or recovery program to contact any of the following local officials:

• Tracy Ascolillio, Recovery Coach: 781-879-2117
• Jennifer Waczkowski, Mental Health Clinician: 339-223-1736
• Amy Rando, Family Services Officer” 339-219-4519

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is much stronger than other opioids such as morphine or heroin. It has proliferated in recent years, with experts identifying fentanyl-laced drug supplies as a major factor likely driving an ongoing spike in opioid overdose deaths across the country.

In Massachusetts, the number of opioid overdose deaths-per year initially peaked in 2016 after more than doubling in just three years, according to state data. Overdose rates ticked down slightly through 2019 before jumping again in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.

A variety of stresses and limited access to treatment, experts warned, could lead to higher rates of overdoses. By June of this year, state officials confirmed another substantial spike in overdoses for 2021, with the rate climbing nearly 9%. That set a new record for overdose deaths in a single year in Massachusetts, with at least 2,290 deaths documented.