some good news in the battle against the opioid crisis according to New State data New Jersey is seeing a decline in the number of suspected drug deaths and in Camden County where the crisis has hit hardest they're seeing a drop in suspected drug overdoses and the need for none as senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports experts are now attributing the DraStic shift to harm reduction efforts it's I think encouraging to see a decline in opioid overdose that's for the first time since I've been practicing medicine Dr Tony spedo Works ER shifts at University Hospital in Newark he says doctors and Clinics can now see a new pattern across New Jersey a decline in the epidemic of opioid deaths that Spike during the pandemic Dr spedo credits the wide availability of naloxone which can rapidly reverse overdose symptoms a lot of the pharmacies around the state carry nxone and can distribute it to patients local emergency department is also Distributing the lock Zone I think that you know contributes to um harm reduction and making it safer for people to use what I want people to know is that we have tried to arrest our way out of the overdose crisis um and it doesn't work this is what works Jenna MERS with the harm reduction Coalition which offers treatment without judgment to folks caught in the grip of opioid addiction since January 202 3 participating Jersey pharmacies have made no lock Zone available for free Statewide suspected drug deaths have dropped from almost 2900 in 2022 to some 2600 last year to 1100 through the middle of June this year what's increased is the number of harm reduction centers in New Jersey now almost two dozen offer stigma-free treatment clinics connecting more people for medication for opioid use disorder harm reduction services and not requiring absence before someone can get care or support this is a dramatic shift from what New Jersey has been doing for the past several decades and this shift is why we're seeing the decline in overdose deaths even Camden County ranked first for overdose deaths in New Jersey has seen opioid deaths plunge 39% so far this year and getting that message out there that it's it's okay to admit that you have that disease we can help you come to us let us know and we will find a way to help you County Commissioner Luc Capell explained opioid settlement funds paid to equip EMTs and a mobile van with buprenorphine medicine that helps treat opioid addiction Statewide the New Jersey State Police Fields a unit called operation NJ rise four Troopers and seven recovery coaches mentoring some 500 clients helping them access care we actually have Troopers driving the uh the patient the client directly into the to the treatment center um accompanied by a recovery coach and the Troopers are going in plain clo you know to make it a little more comfortable for the uh patient but um the TR we're driving them directly so we know they're getting there he says it's still an uphill struggle with Street sales of Aderall and cocaine now often cut with fanil and while opioid deaths are trending down for white new jerseyans they're still Rising for people of color so let's look at where black and Latino residents are are dying from higher overdose rates and less invest dollars there and less invest in Black and Latino Leed organizations to stand up and support harm reduction Services the Murphy Administration in January released $95 million in funds from the opioid lawsuit settlement aimed at harm reduction centers Mobile medication units treatment clinics and housing I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight News NJ Spotlight News support for the medical report is is provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey an independent lcy of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association [Music]