HARTFORD, CT — The good news is that Connecticut saw a slight decrease in the number of drug overdose deaths, but the state still has a long way to go to solve its opioid addiction epidemic.

There were 1,017 deaths in 2018 compared to 1,038 in 2017 and 917 in 2016. Fentanyl continues to be the most common drug found in overdoses with it being present in more than three out of every four deaths, said Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James Gill. The powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl was involved in less than 100 overdose deaths until 2015. The number of overdoses involving heroin has dropped. It was involved in 391 deaths in 2018 compared to 474 in 2017 and 508 in 2016.

Waterbury had 68 residents overdose in 2018, which is the most out of any municipality. It was followed by Hartford (62), Bridgeport (58), New Britain (43) and New Haven (41), according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. East Hartford had the highest ratio of deaths to the number of residents with 16.27 overdose deaths per 10,000 residents. It was followed by West Hartford (15.81), East Hampton (8.85) and Torrington (7.24).

Connecticut has passed a number of laws over the past few years in an effort to curtail the opioid addiction epidemic. In most controlled substances including opioids must be sent electronically for prescriptions. It also established a prescription drug monitoring program to help prevent "doctor shopping" for opioid prescriptions. It also limits the initial amount of opioids that can be prescribed to adults and minors. Emergency responders have also been equipped with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversing drug.

Below is overdose data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Deaths by residence means that a resident of the municipality died and not necessarily while in the municipality. Deaths by overdose location are where the overdose victim was originally found. Population data is from the 2017 Department of Public Health population estimates report. (To sign up for free, local breaking news alerts from more than 100 Connecticut communities, click here.)

