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More Drug Overdose Deaths Reported In Franklin County Last Year

octf.franklincountyohio.gov

Franklin County officials say more people died of drug-related overdoseslast year. 

Mike Foley has details.

The Franklin County Coroner’s Office says there were 520 overdose fatalities last year, a more than 47% increase from 2016 numbers. Fentanyl-related overdoses accounted for 66.5% of last year’s deaths compared to 40.7% in 2016. Cocaine-related overdose deaths increased from 34% to 36% in 2017. Methamphetamine-related overdose fatalities rose from 2% in 2016 to 4.6% in 2017. Only heroin-related overdose deaths declined in 2017, representing 16% compared to almost 41 in 2016. Slightly more than half of the deaths occurred in people under the age of 39, and most were white males. County officials say the numbers are preliminary as not all cases have been finalized. 

Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.
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