(Juneau) Preliminary numbers for drug overdoses in Dodge County in 2023 show a slight improvement from 2022. Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt says that opioids and other drugs really began to flood the state in 2014.
“It has been a problem and, and a growing problem everywhere in the state ever since,” says Schmidt. “Yeah, our per capita is a little bit higher than other areas has been, but we’re in the 20 to 30 range where you get into Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, Washington County, some of those bigger population areas, and they’re in the hundreds of people.”
Schmidt says that Dane County has high overdose numbers as well, and it has been a tragedy. He adds that his drug task force has seen an increase in the use of fentanyl test strips, which has helped curb some of the numbers last year.
“They’re testing drugs before they’re using them,” Schmidt says. “And I am hopeful that that trend is helping and that individuals are identifying that ‘ok, fentanyl is being used in these drugs. I’m not going to use that drug any longer.’ I am hoping that that saves lives.”
The sheriff says that he hopes that these test strips will also help reduce the amount of fentanyl in Dodge County, the state, and the entire United States.
