Madison Reporter

The health department is trying to get to the bottom of the spike in drug overdoses in Madison and Dane County.

Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) Public Health Supervisor Julia Olsen said the biggest obstacle is that drug users are not always aware of what their drugs consist of.

“We don’t always know exactly what is driving up a spike in overdoses, it could be that the make-up of drugs in our community changed, or that Fentanyl or other substances are being mixed in,” Olsen said. “When it is available, the alert will include information about what’s causing the increase so people can be as safe as possible.”

The counties have seen twice as many overdoses with PHMDC countering by initiating an Overdose Spike Alert system, to record overdoses in the area and publish a list for safe drug intake, NBC15 reported.

PHMDC stated that the county established the program to also alert health and law enforcement officials if there is a rise in unexpected overdose.

“The primary mission of Public Health as a whole is to protect the health and well-being of all people, including those who use drugs,” Olsen said. “The faster we can get this information to people who use drugs and their families, the better chance we have at saving lives.”

The program alerts subscribers through text message to their phone or an email in their inbox, PHMDC stated.