Updated: Jan. 9, 2024 at 2:24 PM PST
View on the CBS 11 Website
Chief Clinical Officer of Porch Light Health/Front Range Clinic Steve Carleton talked with 11 News about the state of the opioid epidemic as 2024 begins.
We want to thank you for joining us in the Eleven Breaking News Center this afternoon. I’m Lauren Watson, your digital anchor here at KKTV Eleven News. I’m here today with Steve Carleton. He’s the chief clinical officer at Porch Light Health and Front Range Clinic. We’re here to talk a little bit about the state of the opioid epidemic, specifically here in Colorado today. Now, Steve, where do we stand with overdose doses and opioids as we start 2024?
Yeah, it’s good to be with you, Lauren. Here’s where we’re at. So we know the data is always a little bit behind, but what we’ve started to see is kind of a plateauing in terms of overdose deaths. So I think that is a good first step. And I think because of all the hard work in harm reduction programs and getting Narcan out and helping educate people, we have managed to at least slow the rate of overdose.
Now, what kinds of trends did we see in 2023?
Yeah. So there are a few interesting and concerning things still happening. So the first one is with overdoses. We’re seeing an uptick in overdoses where people are using opiates and painkillers like fentanyl and oxycodone and heroin, alongside drugs like methamphetamine. And so when people are mixing painkillers and stimulants, we’re noticing an uptick in overdose deaths in that specific population. And that’s still concerning. And we need to do some work related to that. And we’re also seeing a continued movement towards these other synthetic kind of opiates, like nitazenes.
Now, you just mentioned nitazenes. That’s the newest subclass of opioid that’s been found in Colorado. What exactly is that? And why is it different from opioids that may have been found in the past?
Yeah. So with nitazene, it’s another synthetic opiate, another synthetic painkiller that they tried to manufacture 50-plus years ago. Right. And what they found with the FDA and their research was that medication was very unstable, it was very unsafe. It was not a good fit. And so they sort of abandoned it. But what we’re seeing is people are manufacturing this illegally, and it is coming into the states and into Colorado. Nitazine is about 40 times stronger than fentanyl. Right. And so what we hope happens with nitazene is that it is just sort of a flash in the pan and that this is not going to be sort of a stable illicit substance in the street drug supply. And so we’re hoping that it goes away pretty quickly, but people should be aware that this is in the drug supply and that it doesn’t show up on toxicology screens. So if people are doing urinalysis, nitazenes won’t show up on a regular panel, even under things like fentanyl, so it’s hard to detect.
Oh, goodness. Now, with things like this, is Narcan still considered the first line of defense, I guess, against an opioid overdose in general? And then is it effective for nitazene specifically?
Yeah, it is effective for nitazenes. So Narcan and naloxone, thankfully, will still be effective if people have ingested nitazenes and are experiencing an overdose. So if you notice somebody nodding off, if you notice somebody sort of unconscious and they can’t be aroused or woken up with a sternum rub, Narcan is a good option. And people should also know that Narcan will not hurt someone if it’s not an opiate overdose. So that medication is pretty benign. If people are not overdosing from opiates, it won’t hurt them.
Now, you’re with Porch Light Health and Front Range Clinic. What kind of things do you guys do when people come to you and they’re like, I believe my loved one is dealing with an opioid issue. Anything from painkillers to street drugs, like these new things that are being found.
Yeah. So Porch Light Health, Front Range Clinic. We’re a high-access, low-barrier treatment option. So, meaning if people want on-demand services, if you’re out there and you are struggling with opioids and you want medication-assisted treatment, like a suboxone or a Vivitrol or naltrexone, all of these drugs help with opioid use disorder. Suboxone, buprenorphine in particular. They help with withdrawal and cravings. So, if people are getting sick quickly after use, or their cravings are such that they can’t stop using on their own, suboxone is a great option. And we have clinics all across Colorado. We have a clinic right there in Colorado Springs. People can walk in or call 1-866 MAT-STAT and get access to us, but we can see people the same day, Monday through Friday, if they have a need and want some help with this. And in addition to that, we also offer therapeutic support for anyone struggling with a substance use disorder. We have counselors that people can meet with and get some support in engaging in recovery.
Steve, I think those are all of the questions that I have prepared for you. Is there anything you wanted to touch on as we finish up this afternoon?
No, I think that’s about it. I think people should also be aware of 988t, which is the mental health crisis emergency hotline. So if it’s not an emergency where you need fire department or you need the police, 988 is always a great option for people as well. You can also visit us at porchlighthealth.com. Is another place to get access to care and help you.
Awesome. Steve Carleton is the chief clinical officer of Porch Light Health and Front Range Clinic. Thank you so much for taking the time this afternoon to talk about this with me and with our audience.
Great to be with you, Lauren.
