The two years of COVID-19 pandemic shifted our attention away from another surging health crisis, one that’s still with us. 

The National Center for Health Statistics, which operates under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s umbrella, reports there were nearly 92,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2020 alone. In just 20 years, the number of overdose deaths exploded, from just 20,000 a year in 2000. 

Opioids are increasingly the drug behind the vast majority of overdose deaths. The NCHS figures show that deaths from opioid overdoses have skyrocketed, from just over 21,000 in 2010 to more than 68,000 in 2020. 

Synthetic opioids, in particular fentanyl, are largely, and almost wholly, responsible for number of opioid overdose deaths, approximately 80% of them. 

National Center for Health Statistics showed there were approximately 81,230 drug overdose deaths from June 2019 to May 2020. According to the NCHS, it was the largest number of drug overdoses ever recorded for a 12-month period.

Earlier this week, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law Senate Bill 500, which directs $636 million to state and local treatment and prevention programs. That money comes from the proceeds of a multi-state lawsuit verdict against drug makers and sellers. 

In announcing the bill’s signing into law, the governor’s office noted fatal drug overdoses in the state increased by 55.9% from 2019-21. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased by 218.4% in the same period, leading to 1,248 deaths in Georgia. 

Under the new law, there will be more professionals to provide treatment for opioid addiction, and law enforcement will be bolstered in its fight against illegal opioids. 

COVID-19 is still with us. We have taken the vaccines and masked up and kept social distancing to slow and hopefully prevent its spread. 

Opioid abuse is still with us, too. We hope the new law — which did not receive a vote against it in either the state House or Senate — will go a long way in making for a better, healthier and safer Georgia for all.