Last month, the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) included the latest data available on their dashboard, which they do every six months. This data reports on substance misuse outcomes, harm reduction services, and BSAS program enrollments. BSAS’s goal is to provide a comprehensive view of SUDs across the state.
Our team at Essex County Outreach analyzed the data, and below are some mentionable points.
BSAS DATA POINTS FOR ESSEX COUNTY
From the most recent reporting year ending in June 2024, there were 409 substance-related deaths in Essex County. This is down 16.7% from the prior reporting year.
Of those deaths, 52% involved alcohol, 50% involved opioids, 31% involved cocaine, 12% involved benzodiazepines, 12% involved “other” sedatives, and 4% involved “other” stimulants. These numbers reflect substance-related deaths that may include multiple substances.
“Other” stimulant-related deaths are down 58% in the last reporting year. In the same time frame, opioid-related deaths are down 22%; cocaine-related deaths are down 19%; and alcohol-related deaths are down 5%. From the reporting year ending in June 2023 to the reporting year ending in June 2024, opioid-related overdose deaths are down 25%.
“Other” sedative-related deaths in the last reporting year are up 23%. Drugs such as xylazine and medetomidine continue to appear in local drug supply. StreetCheck, a project partnering with community drug checking programs, has reported medetomidine in drug samples from Lynn as recently as May 2025. Other emergent drugs observed in the last 12 months of StreetCheck community supply data and analysis are carfentanil, nitazines, and BTMPS, which is not a drug but an industrial chemical used as a light stabilizer in plastics, coatings, paints, adhesives, and sealants.
Of course, these samples don’t cover everything, but they do shed light on some of the substances in the local and state supply.
Opioid-Related OD Deaths vs. Opioid-Related Deaths
In Essex County data, 94.1% of opioid-related deaths were opioid overdoses. In 86.9% of those deaths, fentanyl was present. Alcohol and benzodiazepines were present 30.9% and 31.4% of the time, respectively.
Fentanyl test strips are designed to detect the presence of fentanyl in various drug forms, including pills, powder, and injectables. These strips can help individuals who use drugs to discover whether fentanyl is present in their substances, helping them stay safe and reducing the risk of overdose.
Contact us or a local program like ONESTOP for free fentanyl (and other drug) test strips.
ER Visits in Essex County
In the last reporting year, there was a 4% increase in alcohol-related ER visits. Alcohol is by far the most common substance involved in substance-related ER visits. There were almost 9,000 alcohol-related ER visits in the last reporting year, compared to 905 opioid-related ER visits.
This disparity is likely due in part to the widespread accessibility of Narcan or naloxone. This medication reduces emergency room visits when prescribed to individuals at high risk of opioid overdose or to those who use opioids regularly. Moreover, having access to naloxone can reduce deaths from drug overdose. Contact us if you or a loved one needs Narcan.
If you or a loved one needs help with alcohol or drug use, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 978-961-7388 or send a message here.