DHEC sees a spike in number of South Carolina overdose deaths

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Columbia, S.C. (WOLO) — DHEC officials say they have seen a rise in the number of overdose deaths involving cocaine in here in South Carolina.

According to a report in the Post and Courier, experts say that it may be due to the drug being mixed with the synthetic opioid Fentanyl.

DEA Agent Jason Sandoval told the paper that authorities began seeing the mixture last year.
The same year DHEC says cocaine overdoses killed 235 people in the state last year. That’s an increase of 167 percent from 2014.