Pubdate: Thu, 28 Dec 2006 Source: Times-Standard (Eureka, CA) Copyright: 2006 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: http://www.times-standard.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1051 Author: Sara Watson Arthurs DRUG OVERDOSE RECORD FEARED Meth Deaths on the Rise, 2006 Statistics Show Humboldt County is poised to tie a grim statistic: the record set in 2003 for drug overdose deaths. That year, there were 50 deaths, 18 times the national average of 2.2 per 100,000 population. With a few days left in 2006, there are 46 confirmed drug overdose deaths in the county this year, said Humboldt County Coroner Frank Jager on Wednesday. "But that's not the whole story," he said. Another three or four possible overdoses are still awaiting toxicology screening, he said. So the total could be around 49. Historically, prescription drugs and heroin have made up a large amount of the county drug overdose deaths. This year, methamphetamine is causing more deaths than in years past, Jager said. Sixteen county residents have died of methamphetamine overdoses this year, he said. Normally there are only three or four methamphetamine overdose deaths a year. "We've never had as many as we've had this year .... Meth is just really tearing us up as a community," he said. "I don't know what we're going to do about it." Last year, 36 county residents died of drug overdoses. Suicide is another cause of death in which Humboldt County leads the state. There have been 20 suicides in the county in 2006, Jager said. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine