Wolf calls in cavalry for opioid crisis

Officials wince when they think what the death toll would be without the use of naloxone.

Thursday’s front page pretty much tells you all you need to know about the opioid war.

Make no mistake. That’s what it is – a war. And the casualty list is mounting.

Sure, Gov. Tom Wolf couched it in some more palatable language, calling it a state of emergency. He got that right. The opioid war is getting worse. The numbers tell us that.

We credit the governor, who is running for re-election, for taking a bold step, doing something that has never been done before in Pennsylvania to attack the problem.

The governor declared a state of emergency, something never before done to combat a health problem. That kind of action is usually reserved for weather emergencies or other natural disasters.

It’s not hard to see why.

According to the most recent numbers from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania recorded 4,642 drug overdose deaths in 2016. That puts it in the grim position of fourth highest rate in the country. Of those the majority of them, 3,900, involved opioids.

Officials wince when they think of what the toll would be without the use of Narcan and Naloxone. They credit use of the drugs by police with saving 1,020 lives since David’s Law went into effect back in 2014.

In Philadelphia the problem is even worse than in suburban counties. Officials indicate the final tally for drug-related overdoses in the city will approach 1,200. That’s up from 907 the previous year.

In the battle to save lives, city librarians have gotten training and now routinely administer Naloxone to addicts who often gather on the grounds.

Turning up the heat in this battle that is taking a horrific scourge on communities across the state, Gov. Wolf announced 13 specific initiatives as part of his declaration, which will be in effect for 90 days.

Most of them target prevention, treatment and rehab, something that law enforcement sources who have been reviving victims with Naloxone have been calling for now for months.

The governor’s order will make access to Naloxone easier, and even allow first responders to leave behind the drug when they respond to a call and a patient declines transportation to a hospital.

They also include expansion of the state Prescription Monitoring Program; an extension of the state help hotlin, 800-662-HELP; and an easing of some of the red tape to get those in need into rehab programs.

Not only do these measures greatly increase help on the street, they speed up the process to help those with addiction.

“I don’t take this action lightly,” Gov. Wolf said in announcing his measures. “We know that this crisis has taken far too many

Officials wince when they think of what the toll would be without the use of Narcan and Naloxone.

lives.”

Health officials rightly lauded the steps, a cold slap in the face to anyone who remains in denial as to what this crisis represents.

Delaware County Council Chairman John McBlain concurred.

“We welcome any action the governor takes to ratchet up or accelerate the fight against heroin and opioids,” McBlain said, adding he doubts there is a single family in Delaware County that has not been touched by the crisis in one way or another.

“It has touched my family directly,” McBlain said. “The sons and daughters of some of my best friends, children of colleagues.”

No, it’s not an earthquake. Or a hurricane. Or a monster snowstorm.

It’s worse than that. It’s a serial killer that is claiming victims on our streets every day.

Thursday Gov. Wolf called in the cavalry in the war on opioids.

They can’t get here soon enough.