Butler County meth-related deaths were 17 times higher in 2018 than five years before

Preliminary data show there were 52 meth-related deaths in Butler County last year, while there were just three five years earlier. Those deaths started to climb in 2015 and jumped in 2017, according to data from the Butler County Coroner’s Office.

While reporting on the bust, the Journal-News asked for more information about the drug deaths, and the data show the huge increase.

Here are the number of meth-related deaths in Butler County, according to the coroner’s office:

2012: 9

2013: 3

2014: 1

2015: 8

2016: 11

2017: 45

2018: 52 (preliminary)