Narcan Saves Overdosing Woman In Westlake: Police

WESTLAKE, OH — As Ohio and the nation grapple with a resurgent opioid crisis, the wave of narcotics use has spread throughout Greater Cleveland, washing into even suburban Westlake.

On early Wednesday morning, 911 callers reported a woman was overdosing at a home on Center Ridge Road. Police gave the woman four doses of Narcan — a life-saving antidote used to reverse opioid overdoses. The Narcan worked, reviving the woman.

EMS took the woman to University Hospitals St. John Medical Center for further treatment. Police gathered evidence and interviewed witnesses, a Westlake police spokesperson said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic raged in 2020, forcing businesses to shutter and life to grind to a halt, many Americans continued to struggle with substance abuse. During those long months, overdose deaths spiked nearly 30 percent in the U.S., the CDC's report said.

In Ohio, based on incomplete data, overdose deaths were up more than 21 percent in 2020. The CDC believes 5,215 Ohioans died from overdoses last year, up from 4,279 in 2019.

One of the driving forces of overdose deaths in Ohio has been opioids — particularly fentanyl. the state's opioid overdose death rate jumped to 11.01 per 100,000 people in the second half of 2020, according to data from the Ohio Attorney General's office. That was the highest opioid overdose rate in at least a decade.

If you or someone you know is battling addiction or a substance abuse disorder, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline is a free and confidential resource for treatment referrals and other information. The number is 800-662-HELP.

Full data on 2020 overdose deaths can be found on the National Center for Health Statistics' website.