Sudders: State Seeks To Use New Data To Ease Opioid Crisis

More than 1,000 people died from opioid overdoses in Massachusetts last year, according to the latest numbers released by state officials.

The numbers are broken down by county, which shows significant spikes in some places — Middlesex County, for example.

Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan says heroin in so cheap and plentiful there in some places there, dealers are giving it away for free one day a week.

Marylou Sudders, the state's secretary of health and human services, joins Morning Edition to talk about the latest numbers.

To hear the full interview, click on the audio report above.