Sorg’s fatal drug overdose statistics cited in BDN story

A preliminary analysis by Marcella Sorg, a University of Maine medical and forensic anthropologist, was cited in a Bangor Daily News article about drug overdoses in the state. According to the Aug. 30 article, in the first six months of 2016, 189 people in Maine have died by drug overdose — an increase of 50 percent over the same time last year. Sorg specializes in health policy, particularly as it relates to public health, public safety and investigation of death and injury. Her preliminary analysis for the state’s attorney general found of the 189 fatal overdoses, 121 involved at least one illicit drug by itself or in combination and 126 involved a diverted prescription drug alone or in combination, according to the article. Also, 85 were attributed to at least one pharmaceutical opioid, including methadone and oxycodone, 84 included illicitly manufactured fentanyl or a fentanyl analog, 52 were from one or more benzodiazepines (tranquilizers), 48 were due to heroin or morphine and 25 were from cocaine, according to the article. In 41 of the deaths, alcohol was listed as a co-intoxicant in combination with other drugs, according to the article. WGME carried the BDN story.