01-04-2025
SCDPH report shows increase in overdose deaths in the Lowcountry
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The South Carolina Department of Public Health released its latest report on overdose deaths.
Overall, the state saw a record decline of overdose deaths since 2012, but multiple Lowcountry counties saw an increase of nearly 30%. Those include Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, and Williamsburg counties between 2022 and 2023. Officials said the higher numbers come from a variety of reasons, with around 70% of overdose deaths caused by from fentanyl.
'What we do know is that this is in every county, every state and every part of the country – is that fentanyl is in every substance,' Nanci Steadman Shipman, founder and executive director of WakeUp Carolina, said. 'Fentanyl is an opioid and it does not discriminate. The only to reverse that from crack, cocaine, molly, MDMA, is Narcan.'
Officials said the rise of reporting these deaths added to their findings. However, DPH and local organizations like WakeUp Carolina are continuing to offer harm reduction resources and grief counseling, in efforts to bring these numbers down.
'We are all kind of collaborating together to see what areas have what types of resources, and we evaluate what area has higher overdose rates versus how much Naloxone is in the area,' Julia Horan, substance use prevention unit director of SCDPH, said. 'So, we use those stats to do targeted outreach to make sure we are bringing those numbers down.'
State and local agencies cited that law enforcement agencies have been helpful, as they are providing assistance and critical resources like Naloxone, an overdose reversal drug. Officials said though prevention is important, having the materials readily available is equally important.
'We really want to stress having fentanyl testing strips and testing any drugs you may come across. Test every time because it may not be an equal amount in the drug supply. So, we remind people test every time that they use,' Horan said.
Local health departments in the Lowcountry are providing free opioid overdose kits with Naloxone and testing strips. They can be found at county clinics or departments.
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