Overdose Deaths in Lincoln Illustrate Dangers of Drug Abuse

By Gordon Hopkins Since late March, six people in Lincoln are believed to have died from drug overdoses, including two on Wednesday, April 8. The Lincoln Police Department (LPD) issued a community alert, “At this time, our Narcotics and Criminal Investigations Units are working to determine what substances were responsible for the deaths and if there is any connection between them. The investigations are ongoing.”LPD warned, “Please be aware of this upward trend in deaths and do NOT take anything not prescribed to you by a medical professional. Overdoses can happen to anyone.” This trend is being followed by law enforcement throughout Nebraska. Jefferson County Sheriff Nicholas Georgi recently told FJN, “Overdose deaths are a tragic reminder of how dangerous today’s drug landscape has become. Many of the substances being seen, especially those containing fentanyl, are extremely potent and often unpredictable. A person may think they are taking one thing, when in reality it has been mixed with something far more dangerous.” “These incidents highlight the very real risk that just one use can be fatal. It’s not just affecting larger cities, rural communities like ours are not immune. We’ve seen how drug abuse can quickly lead to addiction, overdoses, and related crimes that impact the safety of our entire community,” said the sheriff. “Our office is committed to working with regional partners to investigate these cases, hold those responsible for distributing dangerous drugs accountable, and continue educating the public and especially our youth about the risks. We also strongly encourage anyone struggling with substance use to seek help and help those struggling find the resources they need! There are resources available, and recovery is possible.” Naloxone, sold as Narcan, is a medication specifically designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is available as nasal sprays or injections. However, it is only effective against opioids, such as heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, morphine and many prescription pills, such as oxycodone (sold as OxyContin). Naloxone is not effective against overdoses from non-opioid drugs like methamphetamine. However, it is important to remember that drug dealers often cut methamphetamine with fentanyl.Sheriff Georgi said, “This is not just a law enforcement issue; it’s a community issue. Prevention, awareness, and support are key to saving lives.”

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