Georgia counties face high overdose rates despite drops – fox5atlanta.com

Georgia counties face high overdose rates despite drops  fox5atlanta.com

Overdose data spanning six years reveal three North Georgia counties rank among the top ten statewide for accidental overdose deaths, even as local officials report encouraging drops in recent fentanyl and kratom-related fatalities. Carroll County reports a decline in accidental overdose deaths involving fentanyl and 7-OH kratom derivatives. CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. – Overdose data spanning six years reveal three North Georgia counties rank among the top ten statewide for accidental overdose deaths as local officials report encouraging drops in recent fentanyl and kratom-related fatalities. Data from 2019 to 2024 published by Ojai Recovery highlights severe accidental overdose rates across North Georgia. Over that six-year window, three counties ranked among the top 10 highest rates statewide per 100,000 residents: Carroll County coroner Keith Hancock's records show some recent declines in specific fatal substances in Carroll County.

Fatalities involving 7-hydroxyminragynine (7-O-H), a potent kratom derivative sold, often times, in gas stations, dropped from five deaths in 2024 to one in 2025. Fentanyl-related deaths also decreased from 16 in 2024 down to 13 in 2025. Hannah Tibbetts, a peer counselor and programming director at The Recovery Spot of West Georgia, noted that geographical isolation makes overdoses more dangerous in small towns. "I feel like it's everywhere, but I feel like more rural areas are worse affected just because of the locations and being