Two Die From Drug Overdoses; Other Deaths Suspected As Drug-Related

By Jen Gibson, Times-Union staff writer

The death of an 18-year-old Syracuse man could be the fifth drug death in Kosciusko County since late December.

According to Kosciusko County Coroner John Sadler, two deaths have been confirmed as drug overdoses and drugs are suspected as a factor in three other deaths in the past two months.

“That is as more than or as many as all of last year,” said Sadler.

Sadler said “all natural causes have been ruled out” in the three deaths and toxicology tests are pending.

One of the confirmed drug-related deaths was related to the use of Methadone, while the other death was caused by “multiple drug toxicity,” said Sadler.

At least one of the remaining three deaths is suspected to be related to Methadone use.

Results from the toxicology reports will be available in four-to-six weeks.

The victims, Sadler said, are all in their mid-40s or younger, but would not release the victims’ names, saying that the names were not as important as the drug problem.

Sadler said the problem with Methadone is that it stays in the body’s system for eight to 56 hours. The drug also has a cumulative effect, causing the effects to compound if doses overlap.

Methadone is a prescription pain killer that is sometimes used to help lessen withdrawal symptoms heroin addicts experience when trying to quit the drug.

Methadone slows breathing and can cause an irregular heartbeat.

“The user may not be aware of what is happening,” said Sadler. “When they lose the high and take more and it compounds the effects.”

When the drug builds up in the body, it can cause fluid buildup in the lungs and swelling in the brain.

“People think it’s a mild-type drug,” Sadler said, “but it’s not. It’s very, very dangerous.”