Charleston County Coroner’s Office Takes on the Opioid Crisis right here in West Ashley
by Joan Perry | Contributing Writer
There have been 15 confirmed unintentional drug-related deaths in West Ashley between January and June of this year. The numbers for Charleston Country are much higher (233), but last year, in 2023, we lost 34 of our West Ashley friends and neighbors to this curse.
In my monthly column for this paper, I usually feature fun topics that spike my personal curiosity in this West Ashley Wanderer column. But these numbers were so shocking, that they got my attention. So when I saw that Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal and Harm Reduction Specialist D’artagnan Brownlee were coming to the Waring Senior Center to talk about the issue on Wednesday, June 12, I registered to attend.
The topic was personal to many of the attendees. Hugs were shared and eyes teared with personal pain. Local resident Pat Clifford confided that on her regular driving route from Charleston to Ohio, she noticed Narcan on restroom walls. She wondered if there might be a time when she might be the only person available to lend a hand to someone in crisis and wanted to be able to help. Andrea Searson has a full and lively circle of family and friends of all ages. If she was ever in a situation where one of them needed her help, she wanted to be level-headed and prepared.
“If we all took that attitude, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad,” said Searson.
Long before I was writing the West Ashley Wanderer column, I was a nurse. I occasionally had to give injections of Narcan as an antidote to tiny babies born sluggish after a mom gave birth with a dose of pain medication still in the little ones’ systems. That’s the Narcan I was familiar with. I knew things had changed and our Coroner is determined to do what she can to save lives.
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) states that in 2023 alone, 81,083 lives were lost in the United States due to overdose of synthetic opioids (primarily fentanyl).
“The public would be shocked at the real numbers because toxicology tests aren’t done on every case,” said O’Neal, a registered nurse herself. She had the Charleston County Coroner’s Office designated as a Narcan Distribution site and is taking the message on the road.
According to O’Neal, 77 percent of the drug-related deaths in the Charleston area involve Fentanyl. The potent synthetic opioid is cheap, easy for dealers to make, and is often used to cut drugs for an extra boost. The tiniest amount of Fentanyl can be lethal to many people. She said that dealers are constantly mixing drug recipes, deliberately staying ahead of current testing.
It was very personal to be given a Narcan inhaler kit to take home.
Narcan (Naxolin) is an opioid antagonist and, for this purpose, is given out as an easy-to-administer nasal inhaler. A sample was passed around the group. The simple instructions are to insert the inhaler into a nostril, tilt the head back, and press the plunger. It won’t hurt and may save a life. Narcan has a stronger affinity to the opioid receptors in our brain and quickly acts to replace the opioid. The kits come with two inhalers. If one doesn’t work promptly, you’re safe to use the second one as it has no harmful effects. If it appears to be working, roll the person to their side in case they vomit.
The common symptoms of a drug overdose might be any of the following: skin that’s pale and clammy to touch, limpness, blue/gray fingernail beds, and being unable to speak or awaken. O’Neal described the common snorting or snoring sound from people who might not usually snore. Ultimately, breathing stops, and the heartbeat slows and stops. It is advised initially to try to rouse them and rub their sternum vigorously. Check for breathing, call 911 and stay with the person.
In this situation, respirations are most crucial. Use the Narcan inhaler if you have one handy, or place them on their back, tilt head to clear the airway and start rescue breathing.
“Spread the word. Push for legislation to better handle drugs coming into our country and increase punishment for dealers.”
I felt full of gratitude that O’Neal and Brownlee took on this cause as they continue to work overtime to spread awareness and make Narcan available to the public. Narcan is available without a prescription from most pharmacies, EMS, Law Enforcement and the Coroner’s Office.
At the end of the coroner’s presentation, she gave all the attendees the follow-up assignments of locking up and securing any prescription pills we might have, turning in unused medication for proper disposal, or using a Deterra Drug Deactivation & Disposal System to deactivate opioids, and never to accept a pill from someone else.
Every August, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) commemorates Overdose Awareness Week and International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31) to remember the individuals, families, and communities who have all been impacted by overdose.
Breaking an opioid addiction takes time and professional help. Addiction to an opioid is a chronic medical condition with potentially fatal consequences. If a friend or family member is dealing with an opioid use disorder, offer to help find treatment.
For information or referrals, there is a 24-hour helpline: 843-722-0100 or http://cc.charlestoncounty.org.
