Possible Overdose Death Being Investigated By Lakewood Police

LAKEWOOD, OH — Police are investigating the possible overdose death of a 26-year-old Lakewood man, according to records obtained by Patch.

On Sunday morning, officers were called to an apartment in the city. When they arrived, EMS was treating the 26-year-old. He later died due to the effects of a possible overdose, a police spokesperson told Patch.

Other details from the case are being withheld because the investigation is ongoing, a Lakewood police official said.

A 27-year-old Lakewood woman may have died due to a drug overdose earlier this month.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp increase in overdose deaths in Ohio, according to a recent report from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. During the second quarter of 2020, Ohio's death rate from opioid overdoses jumped to 11.01 per 100,000 people — the highest rate seen in a decade. The previous 10-year high was in the first quarter of 2017, when opioid overdoses effected 10.87 people per 100,000.

"Opioid overdoses might have taken a backseat in our minds last year because of COVID-19, but make no mistake: Ohioans are dying at a devastating rate because of opioid overdoses," Yost said.

The analysis by Yost's office found an increase in opioid deaths in 67 percent of Ohio counties.

The Ohio Attorney General urged Ohioans to seek medical care in the event of an overdose, despite concerns about COVID-19. He also asked Ohioans to be vigilant about how they store prescription medications.

Many opioid addictions begin at home. Yost's office released guidelines for properly storing medications, including:

• Do not share medication
• Track usage of pills to prevent pilfering
• Lock up addictive prescriptions
• Store prescriptions in a high location, to keep them out of reach of children

Get more tips on how to safely keep and dispose of prescription medications from Yost's office.