Experts are reporting that fentanyl use is on the rise in Franklin County, Ohio, with a recent spike in fatal overdoses involving fentanyl mixed with cocaine.
High Rates of Fentanyl Overdose in Ohio
High overdose rates aren’t a new phenomenon in Franklin County, which also happens to include the state’s largest city, Columbus. This has been an ongoing issue with 341 fatal drug overdoses reported in the county in the first 9 months of 2025 compared to 455 in the entirety of 2024.
These numbers come from recent available data from the Franklin County Coroner’s Office. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl mixed with stimulants are among the most common causes of death in such cases.
Fentanyl was found to have been present in approximately 50% of reported overdoses.
Polysubstance Use Complicates Overdose Prevention
The numbers point to a wider issue of how local health agencies and first responders are supporting individuals and communities in addressing the risks of drug overdose.
Naloxone is now available in more emergency facilities and can temporarily reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
However, when other substances are involved, overdose events can become more medically complex and harder to reverse. Mixing drugs, also known as polysubstance abuse, can also muddy and mask the effects of individual substances.
It makes it harder to detect the onset of an overdose, and tap into timely emergency support. Overdose deaths reached a peak in recent years during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with 5,000 deaths reported. It was an increase of 25% from 2019.
Again, most of these were confirmed as cases of polysubstance abuse. While numbers have been dropping in recent years, it’s clear that this is still an issue that needs to be addressed through greater overdose prevention efforts, harm-reduction strategies, and more accessible addiction treatment services across central Ohio.
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