In 2014, Gov. Peter Shumlin declared the opioid epidemic in Vermont a crisis. That year, 63 people in the state died from an overdose.
A decade later, , according to preliminary data from the Department of Health. That鈥檚 down from a peak of 244 overdose deaths during the pandemic, but public health officials say it鈥檚 still a crisis.
Almost every person who died from an opioid overdose last year had multiple substances in their systems, including fentanyl, cocaine and xylazine.
鈥淭he drug supply has become increasingly complex,鈥� said Kelly Dougherty, the deputy commissioner of the health department. 鈥淭here may be people who think they鈥檙e getting cocaine, but it ends up having fentanyl in it as well.鈥�
Recovery support provider Trace Hoack, the director of Turning Point Center of Rutland, said the tainted drug supply has corresponded with an increase in difficult behavior from her clients.
Recently, Hoack had to ask police to issue a no-trespass order. One client threatened to kill themselves at the office. Another smashed their head over and over against their glass door.
鈥淭his is just in the last two weeks,鈥� she said.
鈥淲hen you see that there's less deaths, then people just naturally think, 鈥極h, it's getting better,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚t's not.鈥�
The decline in overdose deaths in Vermont reflects a nationwide trend of a 25% decrease in overall reported overdose deaths last year, .
鈥淚t's likely not due to one single thing,鈥� Dougherty said.
She said one big theory is the mass proliferation of Naloxone, an overdose-reversal medication, available at pharmacies, recovery centers, and across the state.
That鈥檚 also made it harder to track the number of overdoses happening in the community, because they might be managed without intervention from emergency medical services.
She said anyone looking for treatment or recovery services can go to or text or call 802-565-5465.
