International Overdose Awareness Day Event: Remembering those lost

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Sobering, new statistics to share regarding local overdose cases.

Twice a week, someone in Santa Barbara County dies from an overdose involving opioids.

That's according to the Santa Barbara Opioid Safety Coalition and, information shared by the Santa Barbara County Coroner.

Last year, opioid and stimulant overdose deaths peaked among those between the ages of 35 and 39. And, men are four times more likely than women to die from an Opioid or stimulant overdose.

The numbers are highest in South County.

These latest numbers served as a backdrop to Thursday night's International Overdose Awareness Day Event at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Gardens.

The global event it is a way to understand why people grapple with addiction and remember those lost to overdose.

Nancy Gottlieb, Clinical Director with the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (CADA) said the nonprofit has logged 64 overdoses so far this year.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office reveals a year-to-year increase in fatal overdoses, since 2020. Last year, there were 168; 115 of those deaths were related to fentanyl. 

CADA and the Sheriff's Project Opioid are part of a strong coalition committed to addressing the opioid crisis and saving lives.