- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Authorities investigate series of Thursday overdoses
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it is investigating several reported overdoses on Thursday, one of which resulted in a confirmed death, raising concerns of drugs laced with opioids that are being circulated in the community and, in particular, at two local tribal rancherias.
Lt. Corey Paulich said Friday that the sheriff’s office had become aware of several social media posts with accompanying photos made the night before related to unknown types of pills that could have been related to recent overdoses.
Paulich said the sheriff’s office is not able to authenticate the photos because they do not know when or by whom they were taken.
However, he added, “This does not mean the pills in these photos are not dangerous.”
The sheriff’s office is conducting a death investigation where the pills depicted in a photo provided by the agency – which can be seen above – may have played a role in the death.
The actual cause of death will not be known for some time pending an autopsy and toxicology results, Paulich said.
He separately clarified to Lake County News that there is only one death that he is aware of in connection to the Thursday overdoses.
Later on Friday, Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace weighed in on the matter, putting out a statement in which he raised the concern that the overdoses “may have resulted from non-prescribed opiates or other drugs compromised, or ‘laced,’ with an opioid pain management drug.”
Pace said Lake County residents in possession of non-prescription drugs, and particularly MDMA, should not take them, as they may be laced.
He said opioids are highly addictive, and “it is a common and regrettable practice that producers and traffickers of illicit drugs, such as MDMA, methamphetamine and cocaine, ‘lace’ their product with an opioid, to enhance its addictive properties.”
Despite ongoing public education campaigns, Pace said opioid overdoses and deaths increased in many parts of the country in 2020.
Fire departments response to overdose calls
Lake County News spoke with Northshore Fire and Lakeport Fire, with both agencies confirming that they responded to overdose calls on Thursday.
Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Dave Emmel said their only call came in at about 7:45 p.m. on Quail Top Trail at Robinson Rancheria in Nice.
While they responded, Emmel said they had no patient contact. He said the overdose patient was up on the hill and refusing to be seen or treated by firefighters.
A review of radio traffic indicated the patient was with family and friends and, as Emmel reported, refusing treatment or transport by first responders. The sheriff’s office also was at the scene.
Lakeport Fire Chief Rick Bergem said his firefighters reported responding to three overdoses in the area of Big Valley Rancheria on Thursday, with all of them transported to the hospital.
One of those calls came in at 9:10 p.m., with a Lakeport medic unit dispatched to a call on Red Feather Lane on the report of an overdose and a patient with Narcan, also known as Naloxone, which is used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. Radio traffic indicated that a patient was transported a short time later.
It is not clear which of the Lakeport cases may have ended in the death, and authorities have not reported that information.
Work underway to train tribal members to administer Naloxone
District 3 Supervisor EJ Crandell, a member of Robinson Rancheria and a longtime tribal leader, told Lake County News that he’s received information that whoever is distributing the pills that led to the overdoses is giving them away free and that they’re laced with fentanyl.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent.
The agency said fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are the most common drugs involved in overdose deaths. Illegal fentanyl often is mixed with other drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and MDMA. “This is especially dangerous because people are often unaware that fentanyl has been added,” the institute reported.
Work is underway on an initiative to get Narcan distributed to Robinson and Upper Lake tribes, Crandell said.
Crandell, who has worked on the effort with the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, said they’re hoping to conduct training soon on distributing and administering the drug.
He said Big Valley Rancheria already has someone certified and qualified to distribute Narcan to their community and to train tribal members to administer it for prevention measures.
“I hope we can curb this situation to avoid more loss,” Crandell said.
Naloxone available for free to many people
Pace said Naloxone saves lives and is available to many local residents free of charge. Evzio, an autoinjectable form, and Narcan, a prepackaged nasal spray, are two common trade names.
He said many Lake County residents qualify for the Partnership Health Plan, Medicare, or a similar program, and these individuals, as well as clients of Lake County Tribal Health Consortium and many others can access Naloxone for free of charge.
Pace said it’s estimated that 90 percent of those prescribed opioids for pain management in Lake County have access to Naloxone from their medical providers.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse also reported, “major pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens now make Naloxone available without a personal prescription in all stores in the U.S.”
Officials warn against use of any non-prescribed medications
Like Pace, the sheriff’s office advised members of the public that they should not take any medication or pills that have not been prescribed to them by a physician or provided to them by a pharmacist.
“We ask that if anyone in the public finds or comes into possession of these types of pills that they contact the sheriff’s office or their local law enforcement so the pills can be handled safely,” Paulich said.
If people are uncomfortable contacting law enforcement, they can dispose of the pills in a SafeRx Disposal Drop Box located in the sheriff’s office lobby at 1220 Martin St. in Lakeport. This dropbox is anonymous and requires no contact with a deputy, Paulich said.
For those who may be at risk of opioid overdose, Pace urges them to contact their medical provider proactively to understand their options when it comes to acquiring Naloxone.
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