Marlborough Opioid Deaths Hit Double-Digits In 2020: State

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The number of opioid overdose deaths hit double digits in Marlborough in 2020 for the first time, matching a larger statewide increase last year.

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 Marlborough, deaths rose 66 percent from nine in 2019 to 15 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 Marlborough since 2015, which is as far back as state data goes:

• 2020 — 15
• 2019 — 9
• 2018 — 4
• 2017 — 4
• 2016 — 4
• 2015 — 8

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 or the loss 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 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.

Several Marlborough city departments have the anti-opioid drug Narcan on hand in the case of an overdose. Those kits are located at the library, Council on Aging, Parks and Recreation Department and at the Health Department. You can also find nearby resources for treatment and support on the Framingham Public Health website.