If you’ve never experienced someone in addiction, you should be the first one there tomorrow to celebrate. While recovery is awesome, it would be great if it were not necessary. But that’s not reality. What is reality is that there are people who have suffered with addiction, came out of it and made an amazing life for themselves and their families. And tomorrow we celebrate those, and pray for many more in the future. If you’re raising teens, allowing them to listen to the stories of those who have suffered with addiction would be a great opportunity for family conversations in prevention.
According to internet statistics, recent county-specific data for Calhoun County, West Virginia, is limited, available reports show that the county has a significant, long-standing issue with drug overdose deaths and a rising problem with stimulants and fentanyl.
Key facts include:
Challenges in rural West Virginia: Factors fueling the addiction crisis across West Virginia’s rural areas include economic hardship, a lack of access to healthcare, and the prevalent use of highly potent substances like fentanyl and xylazine.
Overdose fatalities have recently leveled off but remain high: After a spike in 2020–2021, the number of fatal overdoses among Calhoun County residents was eight in both 2022 and 2023.
Stimulant and fentanyl involvement: From 2019 to 2021, psychostimulants like methamphetamine contributed to at least 50% of drug-related deaths. Fentanyl remains the primary driver of opioid-related deaths.
Decreased opioid prescriptions: Since 2014, there has been a steady and significant decrease in the overall dispensing of opioid prescriptions in the county. However, this has been accompanied by a rise in illicit fentanyl and stimulant use.
Males are more affected by overdoses: A review of overdose deaths between 2019 and 2021 found that males presented to the emergency department for opioid overdoses nearly twice as often as females. The rate of drug or opioid overdose was 2.5 times higher for males.
Young adults are a vulnerable group: The 35- to 44-year-old age group had the highest death rate for drug and opioid-related deaths from 2019 to 2021.
Drug arrests are common: Recent news reports confirm arrests for drug-related charges in the county involving substances such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.
