The Ohio Department of Health says the number of drug overdose deaths in 2018 declined from the previous year.
3,764 deaths were recorded in 2018, down from 4,854 the previous year, when the Centers for Disease control ranked Ohio second in the nation. The state says fentanyl in pure form or combined with other subtances accounted for nearly 73 percent of the deaths. Franklin County officials say deaths are up 12 percent for the first three-quarters of this year over last.