Toledo
Top Local Drug Threats
Lucas County is located in NW Ohio, bordered by Lake Erie on the east and the Maumee River on the southeast. As of the 2020 census, the population was 431,279.
The drug landscape in Toledo encompasses ALL drugs. The drugs having an exceptionally damaging impact are fentanyl, fake pills containing synthetic opiates including fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine mixed with fentanyl, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and fake pills containing methamphetamine.
Since 2020, Toledo has averaged more than 200 drug overdose deaths every year.
The city has been victimized by copious violent crimes including homicides, shootings, assaults, and drug overdoses. Drug trafficking and drug use have been big factors fueling this violence. Toledo is also an Operation Overdrive location. The Drug Enforcement Administration initiative, known as Operation Overdrive, is aimed at combatting the rising rates of drug-related violent crime and overdose deaths plaguing American communities. DEA initiated a data-driven approach using national crime statistics and CDC data to identify hot spots of drug-related violence and overdose deaths across the country, in order to devote its law enforcement resources to where they will have the most impact: the communities where criminal drug networks are causing the most harm. Since February 1, 2022, DEA offices in Operation Overdrive designated cities have been working in partnership with fellow federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to map these threats and initiate enforcement operations against those criminal networks across the United States.
2023 Current Statistics for Toledo, Ohio
Type | Total 01/01/2023 – 07/31/2023 |
Shootings | 1503 |
Homicides | 18 |
Assaults | 580 |
Robbery | 242 |
Overdose (all) | 253 |
Overdose (fatal only) | 87 |
Overdose (non-fatal only) | 166 |
Ohio's drug overdose death rate was 48.1 per 100,000 in 2021, according to the CDC, with that number climbing as more residents of Toledo become addicted to substances that are becoming more accessible in the area. Ohio has the 7th highest drug overdose death rate in the country.
- From 2020 to 2022, while white and Hispanic drug overdose death rates per 100,000 in Ohio hovered in the 40s and 30s, respectively, the black drug overdose death rate surged from 55.4 to 67.9, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
- Reports that are more recent indicate that synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl, are Toledo's primary concern with it comes to lethal overdoses. Starting in 2020, Lucas County, where the city resides, has seen at least 200 overdose deaths per year. Fentanyl has been a factor in 80 percent of these deaths, for the past few years. The growing trend of mixing fentanyl with other drugs has caused overdose-related deaths to skyrocket in Toledo and other major cities throughout the state.
- Toledo is the county seat of Lucas County, which operates the Lucas County Opioid Coalition to track and reduce opioid abuse in the region. From 2017 to 2020, the number of opioid-related fatalities in the county spiked from under 200 to nearly 300.
- According to the Ohio Department of Health, the entire state saw 5,017 accidental drug overdose deaths in 2020. Based on population statistics, Toledo is home to just 2.3% of the state’s entire population, but it accounts for nearly 5% of the state’s drug overdose deaths. While alcohol abuse is more prevalent in other cities like Cincinnati, Toledo still struggles to combat its ongoing substance abuse crisis.
Drug Information
Emerging Threat: Xylazine
Xylazine, reported as an adulterant in an increasing number of illicit drug mixtures, has also been detected in a growing number of overdose deaths. It is commonly encountered in combination with fentanyl but has also been detected in mixtures containing cocaine, heroin, and a variety of other drugs. However, xylazine is most frequently reported in combinations with two or more substances present. In addition to its presence in drug combinations, xylazine (often known as “tranq”) is used on its own, though this is less frequently reported. Limited scientific research has been conducted on the effects of xylazine on the human body, but anecdotal reports indicate that users experience effects similar to opioids. Xylazine can lead to depression of the central nervous system along with other adverse effects, as reported in scientific and medical journals; the presence of xylazine in illicit drug combinations and its detection in fatal overdoses may be more widespread than reported as a number of jurisdictions across the country may not include xylazine in forensic laboratory or toxicology testing.
Community Resources
This section will be updated with local organizations that provide services to the public regarding addiction, community empowerment, drug education and prevention, drug take back programs, recovery, and overall health and wellness.
RecoveryOhio Overdose Early Warning Dashboard: https://recoveryohio.gov/resources/all-resources/od-early-warning
Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255 (press 1)
Looking for prevention resources specifically for young people? Go to the teen-focused site www.justthinktwice.com. Here, they'll be able to get facts about drug use and learn ways to live a drug-free life.
Elks Drug Awareness Program – www.elks.org
We're back! Awkward Conversations Season 4
DEA is pleased to announce the next installment of its collaboration with the Elks Drug Awareness Program. In Season 4 of "Awkward Conversations," Jodie Sweetin of "Full House" and "Fuller House" returns to guide parents through the challenges of raising substance-free kids in today’s complex world. We’re bringing together expert advice, powerful stories, and insights from celebrity parents and expert guests to offer you practical tips, heartfelt narratives, and clear strategies. Each episode is designed to equip you with the tools you need to navigate the highs and lows of parenting, helping you foster a safe and healthy environment for your children. Join us as we turn those awkward moments into powerful opportunities to connect, learn, and create a bright, drug-free future for your family. New episodes will be posted each week through the end of 2024 and can be accessed here.
Association of People Against Lethal Drugs (APALD) is a nonprofit group aiming to support families grieving the loss of loved ones to drug-related deaths, empower members to seek legislative change to hold drug traffickers accountable, and increase public awareness about illicit drug poisoning and addiction/stigma. Visit APALD at https://www.weareapald.org.
Facing Fentanyl is a project of Voices for Awareness and a nonprofit assembly of grassroots groups raising awareness of illicit fentanyl. Visit Facing Fentanyl at https://www.facingfentanylnow.org. Learn more about illicit fentanyl, counterfeit drugs, and self-harm by visiting the parent organization Voices for Awareness at https://www.voicesforawareness.com.
Find treatment in your area. Go to FindTreatment.gov to search for general drug treatment facilities in your area. On this site, you can find facilities that offer various payment options (including free and no-cost care), youth treatment facilities, special programs for Veterans, plus more.
Otherwise, enter your zipcode below to find substance abuse treatment facilities in your area.
Campus Drug Prevention is DEA’s effort to support drug use prevention programs on college campuses and in surrounding communities. The website was created for professionals working to prevent drug use among college students, including educators, student health centers, and student affairs personnel. In addition, it serves as a useful tool for college students, parents, and others involved in campus communities.
The website offers valuable information, including data, news updates, drug scheduling and penalties, publications, research, national and statewide conferences and events, state and local prevention contacts, and resources available from DEA’s federal partners. The website also includes a “Help a Friend” resource to educate and prepare those who plan to talk to their friends or loved ones about drug use concerns.
Watch Campus Drug Prevention's Prevention Profiles: Take Five, a monthly podcast featuring interviews with individuals at the federal, national, state, and local levels, based around five questions related to drug misuse prevention among college students:
Operation Prevention is a collaboration between DEA and Discovery Education to provide no-cost online tools that support every member of the community with the power of prevention. Help kickstart life-saving conversations today with standards-aligned English and Spanish-language resources for students in grades 3-12, plus additional resources designed for educators, families, and professionals.
And make sure to catch the virtual field trips, including the all-new “An Ounce of Prevention,” which introduces students to a variety of individuals already working on the ground making a real difference against fentanyl and fake pills:
The One Pill Can Kill Campaign offers an opportunity for the media, parents, teachers, educators, and community organizations to raise awareness about counterfeit prescription drugs. DEA has created materials to help you participate in raising awareness.
View the Partner Toolbox:
Families play a key role in preventing and responding to substance use. Too many families are grieving the death of a loved one due to substance use or coping with the stress that comes from loving a person affected by substance use or misuse. Fortunately, there are thousands of professionals and volunteers involved in all types of organizations who are in positions to help families help their loved one. The Drug Enforcement Administration is honored to partner with these organizations at the state, national and local level. Together for Families seeks to be a place where you can find information that helps you wherever you are on your journey. Visit https://dea.gov/togetherforfamilies.
DEA Pharmacy Burglary Safety Alert
Access pharmacy resources:
