In 2017, Ocean County had 189 suspected drug related deaths, most of which involved heroin. In 2018, that number rose to 217, and this year’s early stats show no sign of it slowing. Bergen County had 129 and 157 those same years, and Ocean County has roughly half the population of Bergen. Both years, Ocean County, including our Southern Ocean communities, has had more deaths than neighboring Atlantic County.
The opioid epidemic, defined as the misuse of and addiction to opioids including prescription pain pills, heroin and…
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