By Julia Sandor
MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – the 2022 overdose fatality report shows some improvements being made in Kentucky.
Overdoses declined more than 5% last year compared to 2021. However, some haven’t felt much of that change.
According to the 2022 overdose fatality report, more than 2,000 Kentuckians lost their lives to a drug overdose last year. But that number has actually declined in comparison to 2021.
“And it’s encouraging because we know that the work that we’re doing along with many other great providers in the state, our elected officials, our government leaders, we are all rowing in the same direction on the issue of addiction,” said Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) Chief Administrative Officer Matt Brown.
Brown says this slight change is a sign of hope, but many drugs are still prevalent.
The report shows that there were 2,135 overdose deaths in 2022. Of those deaths, more than 72% were linked to fentanyl.
“The top drugs of choice that we are seeing are fentanyl, carfentanil, meth and heroin, and it’s really causing that explosion in overdoses,” said Brown.
In Madison County, officials say they didn’t see much change. In the report, the County ranked fourth in fentanyl overdoses, the same ranking from 2021.