Data from the West Virginia Health Statistics Center states that the number of fatal drug overdoses in 2017 passed 1,000 people for the first time in West Virginia. There were 1,011 overdose deaths recorded in 2017 and 870 (86%) involved opioids, a 15% increase from 2016.

In the first six months of this year, 498 people in West Virginia have suffered fatal overdoses. The state Department of Health and Human Resources believe the rate of growth has slowed since last year, though that is only data from half of the year.

Another troubling statistic shows that between 2016 and 2017 the number of people who died from overdoses involving amphetamine and methamphetamine use more than doubled. In 2016 117 people overdosed from amphetamine and then 214 people in 2017. In 2016 106 people died from a meth overdose and in 2017 that number was 229. In 2012 there were 19 people who died from an amphetamine overdose and 11 people who died from methamphetamine overdoses. This is a significant increase in a short amount of time.

There was also an increase in fentanyl related overdose deaths. In 2016 there were 366 recorded fentanyl overdoses compared with 591 recorded in 2017.

Since 2012 the number of fatal drug overdoses in West Virginia has increased 81% and the state consistently leads the country in the rate of overdose deaths.

The 2017 data is not yet finalized, causes of death and death certificates are still being analyzed.

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