Area fatal drug overdoses rising | News, Sports, Jobs

The latest statistics released Wednesday the Trumbull County Coroner’s Office show there were 27 cases through March 13.

Kathleen Meszaros, chief forensics investigator with the coroner’s office, said there are five more potential cases of suspected drug overdoses for March, but no official ruling has been issued on the deaths yet. There also are four potential overdose deaths for April, Meszaros said.

The overdose victims range in age from 33 to 64, the statistics show, and often involved a combination of drugs or fentanyl. The statistics also show 25 of the victims were caucasian and two were African American. Six victims were women and 21 were men, Meszaros said.

“It looks like our numbers are going back up,” she said.

April Caraway, executive director of the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board, said, “In the past month, we have been seeing more overdoses.”

Caraway said she believes a possible reason is the fentanyl in the drugs. She said the statistics through March 13 show 50 percent of the overdoses were because of fentanyl, 40 percent were cocaine and fentanyl, and 10 percent were cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.

“The numbers always surprise you. You never really know why there is an increase. There is never any rhyme or reason as to why it goes up. It is the fentanyl that is killing people. It is very potent,” she said.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com