While youth are using fewer illicit drugs overall, opioid use has increased, said Montgomery County’s Health Officer.
“We’re seeing decreasing use of illicit substances overall, decreasing use of alcohol and cannabis, however we are seeing that — the increase in opioid use, and that the drugs that they are using are more dangerous, more deadly and more addictive,” Dr. Kisha Davis said during a media briefing Wednesday.
According to data previously shared by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), there was a 78% increase in fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses among youths under the age of 21 from 2021 to 2022.
On Wednesday, County Executive Marc Elrich said five youths under 21 have fatally overdosed since last September.
Davis said the county is working with partners in developing a public health response to the issue.
She said the county is thinking about opioid overdose prevention in terms of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention is for everyone, and is based on education and awareness about drug use while building resiliency in youth and addressing mental health. Secondary prevention is harm reduction, treatment and education targeting those who are already using drugs or are at high-risk of using.
Tertiary prevention is overdose reversal, for those who may have overdosed, as well as narcan education. Davis emphasized the fentanyl crisis cannot be solved by focusing on narcan alone.
The county is in the process of scheduling community forums to target the 18-24 year-old population, Davis said. On Saturday, a second countywide fentanyl forum for families was held at Northwood High School as school officials remain concerned about youth fentanyl overdoses.
