Framingham Opioid Deaths Hit 6-Year High In 2020

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The number of opioid overdose deaths hit a six-year high in Framingham in 2020, matching a larger statewide increase last year, according to state data.

The state Department of Public Health released new opioid overdose data for 2020 on Wednesday, the most recent update since November. The state estimated 2,104 Massachusetts residents died of an opioid-related overdose in 2020, 5 percent higher than in 2019.

In Framingham, deaths rose 9-1/2 percent from 21 in 2019 to 23 in 2020. Middlesex County as a whole, however, saw opioid-related overdose deaths decline to 299 in 2020 from the peak of 402 in 2016.

Here's a look at the opioid overdoses in Framingham since 2015, which is as far back as state data goes:

• 2020 — 23
• 2019 — 21
• 2018 — 18
• 2017 — 18
• 2016 — 18
• 2015 — 12

Health officials believe the coronavirus pandemic may be to blame for the increase, which is the first in three years. The pandemic may have exacerbated substances-use disorder, health officials say, by disrupting access to support services, or increasing stress and anxiety — be it due to a job loss, loss of housing or the death of a loved one.

In Massachusetts, overdoses hit Black men hardest, with the overdose rate rising from 32.1 per 100,000 people to 55.1 per 100,000, the state said. The synthetic opioid fentanyl was also a major factor: it was present in 92 percent of overdose deaths in 2020, the highest of any drug type.

The state fared better than some states. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control revealed a 29 percent hike in overdose deaths nationwide in the 12 months ending in September 2020.

Framingham Public Health offers a variety of resources to prevent overdose deaths. The city offers training on and free doses of the anti-opioid drug Narcan, syringe disposal and resources for treatment.