Drug overdoses, mostly fentanyl, surged in 2022; trends continues

In 2022, Athens will set a new record for drug overdose casualties, reaching 60 total deaths.

According to Lt. Sean Barnett of Athens Clark Police, the highest number of these deaths was attributed to lethal doses of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be legally prescribed for pain.

“We continue to see communities affected by opioids, especially fentanyl,” Burnett said.

Police are usually the first to arrive at the scene of an overdose and find an unresponsive individual. A narcotic routinely carried by the police is Narkan, which can bring patients back to consciousness.

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“In 2022, there were 127 Narcan deployments,” Barnett said, explaining that in some cases, police had to administer multiple doses to wake the person. . By 2023, police have deployed his Narkan 13 times, he said.

Sonny Wilson, the Athens-Clark County Coroner, is well versed in drug overdose cases and handles cases leading to death. The number of overdose deaths recorded in 2023 shows that the problem has not abated.

“There have been 14 drug-related deaths this year, with 10 suspected fentanyl. That’s bad,” Wilson said.

Coroners predict a similar number of deaths this year compared to 2022.

“There will probably be more than 55 deaths this year,” Wilson said. I don’t care, there are people lining up to buy it, and it doesn’t matter to the dealer if they (the addicts) die or not.”

“This is a big problem and it’s snowballing.”

In September 2022, the Georgia Department of Public Health released a report containing data collected from 2019 to 2021 and found that the high number of drug overdose deaths was attributed to “primarily fentanyl and other synthetic drugs. caused by the presence of opioids.”

Fentanyl-related deaths have increased by 230% in the last three years, according to the report.

“This is a serious issue and it’s snowballing,” said U.S. Attorney Peter Leary when contacted at his office in Macon. “It started in Atlanta and has spread across the state.”

Leary said parents should pay special attention because public health reports show an 800% increase in fentanyl-related deaths in people ages 10 to 19 over a three-year period. Total overdose deaths among those aged 15 to 19 years, including, increased by 775%.

“The biggest thing for parents to remember is that everyone has a cell phone, so essentially they have a drug dealer in their pocket,” Leary said.

“We see a lot of counterfeit drugs becoming available on social media. Adolescents think they are ordering a few pills, but they are actually ordering fentanyl. “People who are buying drugs not only don’t know they’re taking fentanyl, they also intercept wiretapping and call drug dealers.” Sometimes they don’t know they’re taking fentanyl by looking up

A recent federal indictment resulted in the arrest of a number of Athens residents connected to the fentanyl ring and those involved in the operation, including four federal agencies, one state agency, and five local law enforcement agencies. personnel were included.

“This is a very sweeping situation,” Leary said of similar investigations that have led to federal indictments not only in Athens, but also in the cities of Macon, Milledgeville, and the Middle District of Albany.

The Growing Threat of More Dangerous Drugs

A new, even more dangerous drug is on the horizon.

Florida officials are dealing with a new drug said to be 10 times more potent than fentanyl and 1,000 times more potent than morphine, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody reported in February.

These drugs are synthetic opioids using “nitazen compounds” and are called Frankenstein opioids. Moody’s is pushing for legislation to add these drugs to the Schedule 1 Controlled Substances List.

In a news release, Moody said that one pill of fentanyl “can kill”, but one of Frankenstein’s pills “kills.”

Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Trent Hillsman is responsible for the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Administration, which serves 30 counties in northeastern Georgia, including Clark. He said these new opioids have not yet been found here.

“We cover a large area and are quite active, but we haven’t come across it yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s not here. It’s a problem,” Hillsman said.

Fentanyl is usually found mixed with other drugs such as heroin and cocaine, but now cops are finding it in straight pill form, he said. , appeared to be primarily gang-related, Hillsman said.

The fentanyl problem has spread from big cities to rural counties like Madison County, where the drug methamphetamine has been a problem for years.

“In terms of population size, we’re way above our share,” said Madison County 911 Director Brennan Baird in his office collecting data on overdose calls.

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