Heroin's toll in Wayne County grows as group implements plans

Not as grim as what Wayne County Coroner Ron Stevens sees, though.

“What we’re dealing with are dead bodies,” Stevens told attendees Thursday at the sixth meeting of the community group Heroin is Here.

Stevens shared statistics that showed the number of heroin-related deaths during the first half of 2015 are on pace to exceed the death totals from any of the three previous years. Heroin was involved in 13 deaths through June 16, including two in which methadone also was involved. Heroin was involved in 16 deaths in 2014, 20 in 2013 and 12 in 2012, according to Stevens’ statistics.

Overall, 12 deaths through June 16 had been blamed on drug overdoses, with another 10 possible overdose cases awaiting a final determination. Twenty people in Wayne County died from overdoses in 2014, 17 in 2013 and nine in 2012.