CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The month of January was tough for the people at Rise Above NRV Harm Reduction as they saw a rise in overdoses across the valley while combating cold temperatures.
“We were struggling to try and help people find a safe place to be,” said Chris Alderman, outreach and harm reduction coordinator for Rise Above NRV.
Adding to their challenges, a different drug is circulating the New River Valley, raising concerns for everyone: purple heroin.
“It’s being sold as heroin, but it’s primarily fentanyl. I believe it’s carfentanil too, just because of the purple hue,” Alderman said.
Alderman said the drug is currently coming through the I-77 and 460 corridors. They don’t know what is in purple heroin, but they know it’s causing overdoses.
“All of the substances, all the street supplies right now is tainted and I don’t think that is ever really going to change. There is never going to be a safe supply again,” said Alderman. “We have had 18 self-reported overdoses and 25 reported that reversed someone else’s overdose. We haven’t had any fatalities that I know of.”
He said that means there have been plenty more overdoses not reported.
“I don’t think we will ever have accurate data of non-fatal overdoses,” Alderman said.
In a way to help people struggling with addiction, Rise Above NRV is working to get recovery emergency kits into local emergency rooms with naloxone, test strips, and information for help.
“You may not be thinking of the next steps and so having someone there to provide something for you that can help guide you along the way would be really helpful,” said Erica Short with Rise Above NRV.
They said the biggest thing they want people to remember is to always have naloxone on hand.