A team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control recommends Ohio target 8 counties where fentanyl overdose cases are high and making a anti-overdose drug readily available.
State officials called on the CDC last fall after the number of fentanyl-related deaths spiked from 84 to 502 in just one year.
We called the state medical Director Dr. Mary D' Orio to find out more about fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a more powerful opiate that’s thought to be about 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. Fentanyl is often used for really severe types of cancer pain. This fentanyl here though is not a prescription fentanyl. It is illicitly manufactured fentanyl. So what we’re seeing is that individuals are having overdoses from an illicitly manufactured fentanyl and not from a prescription drug," D’Orio said.
Today's report says the counties with the highest overdose numbers are Hamilton, Montgomery, Summit and Butler. The state says white males in their late thirties who were recently released from jail or a treatment center are most at risk for overdose.
Hear Marilyn Smith's conversation with State Medical Director, Dr, Mary D'Orio.