BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office says the county led the entire state for overdose deaths this year.

A record high of 453 drug fatalities were reported in Jefferson County in 2023. The coroner’s office says 30 deaths currently are still pending as drug fatalities.

“I think what’s concerning is the fact that we’re continuing to see the trend of an increase,” Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said.

Yates says opioids and stimulants are the leading drugs causing fatalities.

“What we typically see is not just one drug but it’s usually a mixture of opioids, fentanyl with methamphetamines and cocaine or a mixture of all four,” Yates said.

Yates says white males between the ages of 30 to 40 are dying from opioid deaths. He also stated an increase in drug deaths in the African American community has been observed this year.

“Cocaine was typically what was seen in the Black community and, unknown to them, fentanyl made its way in so we started seeing a significant increase in the number of fatalities in the Black community due to drugs,” Yates said.

Yates says the way to curb drug addiction is to understand first what is causing the addiction for a person.

“We particularly in the state of Alabama need to particularly pull our resources into helping those who are living with addiction and try to help them figure what is in their lives to help them get past it,” Yates said.