Prescription opiate deaths down; fentanyl deaths up in Ohio

Staff report

COLUMBUS

Unintentional prescription opioid-related overdose deaths have reached an eight-year low and heroin-related overdose deaths are at a four-year low in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

However, the overall number of unintentional drug overdose deaths continues to rise in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

According to the ODH, the number of unintentional drug overdose deaths rose from 111 in 2016 to 135 in 2017 in Trumbull County; from 39 in 2016 to 48 in 2017 in Columbiana County, and from 83 in 2016 to 112 in 2017 in Mahoning County.

Read more in Monday's Vindicator.