Boone County has seen at least three opioid overdose deaths this year, medical examiner says

There have been at least three opioid overdose deaths in Boone County this year, according to data ABC 17 News obtained from the Boone County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The medical examiner says 13 people died from an opioid overdose in 2015; 17 people died in 2016 and 14 people died in 2017.

This comes as officials with the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention say emergency room visits for opioid overdoses are on the rise in the Midwest.

A new report released by the CDC today says opioids were involved in two thirds of all drug overdose deaths in 2016. That’s a 28 percent increase in the opioid death rate in just one year.

The data comes as opioid legislation is making its way through the Missouri State Capitol. The House just perfected a bill that would limit initial opioid prescriptions, establish a prescription abuse registry and create a drug takeback program.

According to the CDC, on average, 115 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day.