By Christopher Leach
Lexington Herald-Leader
LEXINGTON, Ky. 鈥� The city of Lexington saw a 32% decrease in fatal overdose deaths last year, Mayor Linda Gorton said during a Wednesday news conference.
Gorton attributed the decrease 鈥� from 177 in 2023 to 120 last year 鈥� to the efforts of various community partners.
鈥淭his is a testament to the collaborative efforts of local programs, organizations, health care providers, and harm reduction initiatives,鈥� Gorton said.
The number of overdose deaths spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a 40% reduction in yearly overdose deaths before the pandemic, and the numbers are finally starting to return to pre-pandemic levels.
鈥淥ver the years, this issue has taken us on a bit of a roller coaster ride,鈥� Gorton said.
One group that has contributed to the reduction is the , which provides resources for people looking for information about substance use, addiction and treatment services, Gorton said.
Scott Luallen, who works with the program, has given out more than 5,000 Narcan kits, which reverse the effects of an overdose, since the beginning of 2024. He regularly canvases communities that need the kits.
鈥淭his is a turning point, not the finish line,鈥� Carmen Combs Marks, the program鈥檚 coordinator, said at the Wednesday news conference. 鈥淭his is a moment to acknowledge progress, but we know that our work is far from over. Every single person struggling with substance abuse deserves a chance at recovery, and every family affected by this crisis deserves our full support.鈥�
Another group contributing to the reduction is the health department, which runs the . It began in 2015 and provides services to people struggling with addiction, with the goal of reducing negative consequences from drug use.
John Moses, leader of the health department鈥檚 program, said more than 600 people have accessed substance abuse disorder treatment through the health department.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been proving to work time and time again over the last few decades, so what we can do at the health department is treat people with kindness,鈥� Moses said. 鈥淲e can look them in the eye, we can smile, we can say, Welcome, we鈥檙e glad you鈥檙e here,鈥� and when they come through our door, we鈥檙e able to build that trust.鈥�
Lexington鈥檚 emergency services have helped, too. Gorton said the Lexington Fire Department鈥檚 Quick Response Team reversed 356 overdoses with Narcan and gave out 230 Narcan kits to people and their families in 2024.
The police department now carries Narcan and has administered more than 180 doses over the past two years.
鈥淭his reduction in overdose deaths is proof that when a community unites around solutions, lives can be saved,鈥� Marks said. 鈥淲hile this is a moment of progress, we remain committed to further reducing overdoses, expanding access to treatment and supporting recovery efforts.鈥�
City leaders are continuing to combat the issue. Gorton said she is reviewing recommendations from the on how to use local opioid litigation money for addiction programs.
She also encouraged everyone to get trained in administering Narcan.
鈥淚t was very helpful for me just to know that I had my training and I keep my Narcan with me, because you really don鈥檛 know when you鈥檙e out and about in a city like ours when you might need to use it,鈥� Gorton said. 鈥淭he more people who are trained and who carry Narcan, the better for our community.鈥�
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