Expanded Maine Drug Death Report, 2018

This report, funded by the Maine Office of Attorney General, provides a summary of statistics regarding drug fatalities in Maine during 2018. 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. There has been a reduction in 2018 drug deaths compared to 2017, 15% fewer drug deaths overall, with a reduction in both non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical opioid deaths. There were 354 total drug deaths statewide, down from 417 in 2017, and similar to 2016 levels. Of these 354 deaths, 80% were caused by opioids, frequently in combination with other drugs or alcohol

Maine Monthly Overdose Report for June 2021

There were 60 suspected and confirmed fatal overdoses in June. The cumulative January-June total is 310, which is 21% higher than the same period in 2020. We are also providing the minimum total of reported nonfatal overdose incidents, 815 in June and 3,759 January-June, compiled by deduplicating data derived from multiple statewide sources. These include nonfatal overdose incidents reported by hospital emergency rooms (ED), emergency medical service (EMS) responses without transport to the ED; overdose reversals reported by law enforcement; and overdose reversals reported by community members or agencies receiving State-distributed naloxone. The total number of fatal and nonfatal overdoses combined for June is 875, of which fatalities are 7%. There are also an unknown number of private overdose reversals that were not reported

Maine Drug Death Report: January–June 2020

This report, funded by the Maine Office of Attorney General, provides a summary of statistics regarding drug fatalities in Maine during January-June, 2020. 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. Total fatalities due to drugs during the first half of 2020 total 258 (Figure 1). The first quarter of 2020 had 127 deaths, a 25% increase over 4th quarter 2019; the second quarter total was 131, a 3% increase over the 1st quarter 2020. The 2020 total is 26% higher than the previous half-year, July-December 2019, which had a total of 204. This pattern, similar to that seen in many other states, is likely due at least in part to the effects of the covid-19 pandemic: isolation, avoidance of medical services, and alterations in the illicit drug supply

First Quarter Maine Drug Death Report with Estimates for Second Quarter--January–March, 2020

This report, funded by the Maine Office of Attorney General, provides a summary of statistics regarding drug fatalities in Maine during January-March, 2020, as well as preliminary estimates for April-June. 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. During the first quarter of 2020, total fatalities due to drugs are 23% higher than the fourth quarter of 2019: 127 compared to 103. The estimated total for the second quarter is 132, with a total of 259 estimated for the first half of 2020. The overall increase, comparing 2019 and the estimate for the first half of 2020, is statistically significant (p=.0039). It is comparable to increases being seen nationally, which are attributed to the effects of the pandemic, including social isolation, economic difficulty, and reluctance to seek medical attention. Interruptions in drug supplies internationally have resulted in substitutions and combinations that may be contributing to additional vulnerabilities to overdose

Maine Drug-Induced Deaths: A Brief White Paper Prepared for the SPF-SIG State Epidemiology Workgroup, August, 2007

Drug death statistics for Cumberland County declined following an effort at public health information targeted at users/misusers. Specific education messages aimed at young adults, particularly males and 20-34 year olds will potentially reach the most at risk group. Messages regarding the dangers of diversion, recognition of snoring as a warning sign of respiratory distress, the benefits of placing users in the “recovery position to maximize airway access are being used in Cumberland and Kennebec Counties. Education efforts targeted at health care providers who write narcotic prescriptions and the patients who receive them should be supported, particularly encouraging messages about the risks of misusing or diverting prescriptions, the need for proper storage and disposal, and the dangers of combining narcotics with other pain medication, tranquilizers, or alcohol, as well as the effective use of Maine’s Prescription Monitoring Program

Maine Drug Death Report for 2019

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. Drug deaths totaled 380 in 2019, a 7% increase over the 354 drug deaths in 2018 but still lower than the 417 peak in 2017

Maine Drug Death Report for 2020

This report, funded by the Maine Office of Attorney General, provides a summary of statistics regarding drug fatalities in Maine during 2020. 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. All drug deaths that occurred in Maine are included, whether or not they were Maine residents. Deaths of Maine residents who died out of state are not included

Maine Monthly Overdose Report for February

This report, funded jointly by the Maine Office of Attorney General and the Office of Behavioral Health, provides an overview of statistics regarding suspected and confirmed fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses in Maine during the month of February, 2021. Data for the report were collected at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner and as part of the Maine Naloxone Distribution Initiative. This report is the second in a series of monthly reports to be produced within about two weeks of the end of the month, designed to improve transparency and timeliness regarding the Maine’s epidemic of substance use morbidity and mortality. Year-to-date numbers will be updated with each new monthly report, as cases are finalized, and their overdose status is confirmed or ruled out. The totals are expected to shift as this evolution occurs. In addition, due to the smaller sample size in each month, we expect totals to fluctuate due to the effects of random variation

Drug-Induced Deaths in Maine 1997-2008, with Estimates for 2009

Substance abuse is a critical problem facing the state and local governments of Maine and the communities they serve. Rates of substance abuse—particularly abuse of methadone and other synthetic opiates—increased dramatically in Maine during the early 2000s, as measured by increased incidence of deaths, substance abuse treatment admissions, and drug‐ related arrests. Substance abuse is associated with many types of crime, increased accidents, lost time at work, serious health problems, social dysfunction, and death. Government cannot develop effective drug policies without valid and reliable data. To address this need, in 2001 the Office of Chief Medical Examiner first sought funding from the Maine Justice Assistance Council to analyze Medical Examiner data concerning drug‐related deaths. A report was first released in 2002. Between 2003 and 2007, a federal grant for the Rural Substance Abuse Partnership Program from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice, allowed continued monitoring and analysis. In 2009, additional funding was provided by the Office of United States Attorneys for Maine to update the data through 2008 in a comprehensive report. This report is the result. It also includes some estimated totals for 2009. The project represents an ongoing collaborative effort between the Office of Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine (MCSPC)