Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Health Overdose Prevention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public health staff: overdoses concentrated among 18–24-year-olds; vaping education scheduled for local schools
Summary
Joyce from Health and Human Services reported that new emergency department data show the largest increase in overdose calls among people aged 18–24 and that the county will focus its public campaign on that group. The department scheduled vaping education sessions in March for local middle and high schools.
Joyce (Health and Human Services public‑health staff) told the Sawyer County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council that emergency‑department data received since the last meeting changed prior figures and show the largest increase in overdose calls occurred among males and females ages 18 to 24.
"That is going to be our focus in public health for our campaign this next year," Joyce said, summarizing the department’s planned outreach.
She said substance use patterns suggested substantial polysubstance use: methamphetamine with heroin and fentanyl; heroin with fentanyl and alcohol; and alcohol often appearing with marijuana in emergency‑department visits. The department recorded 25 cases last year the presenter described as THC overdoses with no other substances present. Joyce said this could be linked to highly concentrated THC vape liquids and warned that oral ingestion of those liquids (for example, in edibles) can produce severe effects.
Joyce also reported that overdose‑related deaths in Sawyer County declined by about 55% over the last two years; she said statewide deaths declined by about 28% in the same period. She said the county will continue suicide‑prevention education (noting higher suicidal ideation with substance use among juveniles and females under 17) and will emphasize fall prevention messages for older adults after alcohol‑related fall data.
The public‑health staff announced scheduled vaping education sessions for local schools: March 14 (high school: 9:00–9:45 a.m.; middle school: 10:15–11:00 a.m.) and a March 19 session at the winter school from 8:30–9:30 a.m. The department plans a broader advertising push including billboards and community flyers but said it must protect patient privacy (citing HIPAA) when sharing data publicly.
Council members asked whether the overdoses included fatalities; Joyce answered that deaths have fallen 55% locally over two years. Members encouraged partnering with the public library and other community organizations for youth-oriented sober activities and suggested the public‑health team coordinate outreach.
Ending: Joyce said the department will produce community‑facing materials summarizing the numbers, being careful to avoid violating privacy rules, and that prevention efforts will prioritize the 18–24 age group while continuing suicide education and fall prevention work.
