Increase in opioid abuse raises red flags in Freetown

The increase in opioid abuse has propelled a call to action for town Health Agent Derek Macedo.

FREETOWN — The increase in opioid abuse has propelled a call to action for town Health Agent Derek Macedo.

While Freetown is one of the smaller municipalities, with roughly 9,300 residents according to July 2017 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Macedo pointed said the town has the opioid incidence rate at more than double the state average. “We’re pretty up there in this town.”

Macedo told the Board of Selectmen earlier this month that he is hoping to combat substance abuse through state assistance.

A popular grant, which comes from the Massachusetts Opioid Abuse Prevention Collaborative, is primarily focused on education, both in the community and in schools, as well forming more support groups. As a collaborative grant, that means neighboring municipalities, like New Bedford, work together, meet regularly, and share resources.

“There’s a lot of outreach with it. It’s about hitting the streets and getting the word out,” Macedo said.

An estimated 2,069 people died from opioid overdoses in 2017, with an incidence rate of 30.2 residents per 100,000 people, according to the most recent report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. That’s a 4 percent decrease from 2016, but is still much higher than the national average. The state is in the top 10 for highest rate of opioid-related deaths, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Keep in mind, that rate is determined by the ratio of the town’s population with a case’s town of residence. Freetown had 6 confirmed opioid-related deaths in 2017, according to numbers updated regularly by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. By comparison, New Bedford, with a population of more than 95,000, had 44 confirmed opioid deaths in 2017. These numbers don’t reflect non-lethal incidents.

“This sounds like a no-brainer,” said Selectman Lisa Pacheco, echoing the sentiments of the selectmen as they motioned to move forward with applying for and participating in the grant.

The other program discussed, which Freetown is already signed up with, is the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program. The program focuses on control and regulations and provides assistance around problems regarding sales of tobacco products, helping people to quit smoking, and public exposure to secondhand smoke. “It’s not funding; it’s just services,” said Macedo.

The big component to the program is increased training and staff to conduct a greater amount of compliance checks and inspections for making sure all vendors of tobacco products, like liquor stores, convenience stores, and gas stations, are abiding by all regulations pertaining to checking for IDs and ensuring no underage sales. Macedo reiterated that “a big focus right now is on e-cigarettes.” Macedo added that the program, with additional extensions, could cover Freetown for up to 10 years.

Macedo made one suggestion regarding tobacco control. Before state law increases the age to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, to 21 on Dec. 31, he recommended the Board of Health pass a municipal ordinance that mirrors this regulation. The reason being is the law by itself won’t restrict tobacco sales to youths who turn 18 by Dec. 30 unless cities and towns pass or have passed their own laws restricting the age.

“We need to adopt this to close a loophole,” said Macedo.

It’s a Board of Health issue, so this decision doesn’t require a Town Meeting. However, a separate hearing has to be conducted by the board before a vote can be made.

Massachusetts will be the sixth state to increase the smoking age to 21.