By HEATHER RUPPE
Two more Colleton experienced an overdose during the recent weekend, and one of those residents has died from taking too much heroin.
One of these recent overdosing incidents occurred in Walterboro and the other was in the Doctors Creek area of Colleton County.
The death and the latest overdose case are being added to what local authorities are calling a growing list of heroin and methamphetamine overdoses.
According to Colleton County Fire-Rescue Chief Barry McRoy, the increase in heroin and meth overdoses are quickly adding up, with a total of 12 overdoses in Colleton County since January 1st, as of press deadline on Tuesday morning.
Most of these incidents are occurring on weekends: one heroin overdose death occurred on Sunday, Feb. 20th; another occurred on Saturday, Feb. 19th; and there were three documented overdoses on Sunday, Feb. 13th.
To compare, Colleton County Fire-Rescue responded to 72 overdoses in Colleton County in all of 2021.
If this pace continues, Colleton County could be forecasted to have more than 100 overdoses this year.
“This is a very sad situation,” McRoy said, in a previous interview.
Officials with Pillars4Hope in Walterboro agree that overdoses are rising in the community, especially with opiods. Officials at the former Colleton County Commission on Drug and Alcohol Use are offering to help those who are using the drug by providing intervention services, treatment services and recovery services for drug users.
“We want to target high-traffic areas, such as hotels. If we can identify where it is happening, we want to concentrate on those areas about how we can help,” said Nikayia Hammonds, executive director of Pillars4Hope. “Call us, walk in. Any way people need to get through to us, we are here.”
To help counter opioids overdose, Pillars4Hope gives Narcan to clients. This is a nasal spray.
“We train family members and clients how to use it, to give to people who are overdosing,” she said.
Pillars4Hope can be reached at 843-538-4343.
