Deaths related to Prescription Drug Overdoses decrease in 2018

An analysis of autopsies performed by the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office in 152 counties in which drug overdose was the cause of death or a significant contributing factor in the death has been completed. The analysis revealed prescription drug overdose deaths in 2018 were lower than the previous three years while the overdose deaths attributed to illicit drugs were higher than they have been during the same period.  These statistics do not include autopsies performed by medical examiners in Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, or Rockdale counties. Of the 861 drug overdose deaths in 2018, there were 303 deaths that involved prescription drugs only. The analysis also showed that 441 drug overdose deaths in 2018 involved illicit drugs only and 115 deaths are attributed to both prescription and illicit drugs. The GBI does not have a county by county breakdown of these statistics.