North Georgia counties face high overdose rates amid recent drops
Georgia counties face high overdose rates despite drops
Carroll County reports a decline in accidental overdose deaths involving fentanyl and 7-OH kratom derivatives.
CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - Overdose data spanning six years reveal three North Georgia counties rank among the top ten statewide for accidental overdose deaths as local officials report encouraging drops in recent fentanyl and kratom-related fatalities.
Overdose rates in Carroll County
What we know:
Data from 2019 to 2024 published by Ojai Recovery highlights severe accidental overdose rates across North Georgia. Over that six-year window, three counties ranked among the top 10 highest rates statewide per 100,000 residents:
- Bartow County: Ranked third in Georgia with 49 total deaths and a rate of 42.6 per 100,000 residents.
- Fannin County: Ranked seventh in Georgia with 10 total deaths and a rate of 38.5 per 100,000 residents.
- Carroll County: Ranked ninth in Georgia with 45 total deaths and a rate of 35.4 per 100,000 residents.
Carroll County coroner Keith Hancock's records show some recent declines in specific fatal substances in Carroll County. Fatalities involving 7-hydroxyminragynine (7-O-H), a potent kratom derivative sold, often times, in gas stations, dropped from five deaths in 2024 to one in 2025. Fentanyl-related deaths also decreased from 16 in 2024 down to 13 in 2025.
Rural barriers to care
What they're saying:
Hannah Tibbetts, a peer counselor and programming director at The Recovery Spot of West Georgia, noted that geographical isolation makes overdoses more dangerous in small towns.
"I feel like it's everywhere, but I feel like more rural areas are worse affected just because of the locations and being hard to get to help with transportation being such a barrier. So, I'm kind of not surprise," Tibbetts said.
Tibbetts, who is four years into recovery, recalled how fear prevented people from calling for emergency help during active addiction, despite Georgia passing the 911 Medical Amnesty Law more than a decade ago to protect people from small-scale drug arrests.
The Georgia Council for Recovery can be reached at 1-844-326-5400. You can talk to peer counselor between 8:30 a.m. and 11 p.m. on any day.
"(I’ve used it) Multiple times. And I was actually, a part of a group of users in my addiction that would stack the Narcan up on the walls, and we would be ready and some days that wouldn't work. But we were too scared to call 911," Tibbetts said.
Life after recovery
Local perspective:
Tibbetts believes increasing awareness about recovery resources is crucial to saving lives.
"I get to enjoy life. Today. I get to wake up and breathe and smell the roses. I get to come to work and hold keys to a building, which is crazy. I get to look at other people and know what I'm saying is the truth," Tibbetts said.
Access to rural treatment
What we don't know:
Health officials have not confirmed total overdose figures for the current year.
It remains unclear what specific state funding will be allocated to improve public transit options for rural residents seeking addiction care in West Georgia.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from data published by Ojai Recovery, official mortality records from the Carroll County Coroner's Office, and an interview with Hannah Tibbetts of The Recovery Spot of West Georgia.