2017 Opiate Statistics (Preliminary Data)

Overdose Deaths from 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2017 (Preliminary Data)

From January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 there were 520 overdose deaths in Franklin County. This is a preliminary number as not all cases have been finalized.  We have seen approximately a 47.3% increase in overdose deaths from 2016 to 2017.  Fueling the increase is fentanyl.

Fentanyl related overdose deaths accounted for 66.5% of all overdoses compared to 2016 when it accounted for 40.7% of all deaths.  Cocaine related overdose deaths were 36% of all overdose deaths compared to 34% in 2016, slightly higher.  Methamphetamine related overdose deaths were 4.6 % of all overdose deaths in 2017 compared to 2% in 2016.  Heroin related overdose deaths have seen a decrease in 2017:  16% in 2017 vs. 40.7% in 2016.  Overall opiate related deaths accounted for 80.8% of overdose deaths vs. 75.3% in 2016.
Decedents under 39 years of age accounted for 55.9% of the overdose deaths in 2017 which was a slight increase from 2016.  In 2016 50% of overdose deaths occurred in those 39 and under.

The majority of deaths were in males:  68% male vs 32% female. This is an increase of 10% in female overdose deaths from 2016.   78% male vs 22% female, 2016.

White males were again the majority of overdose deaths in 2017:  78% white vs. 20% African American vs. 2% other.  In 2016 we saw:  79.6% white vs. 19.2% African American vs. 1.2% other.