CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County once again set a grim record for most opiate-related deaths in 2016.

The death-rate for heroin, fentanyl and other opiate deaths have skyrocketed from 64 in 2011 to at least 517 in 2016, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner.

That number could increase as the medical examiner has not yet published its final report on exactly how many deaths have been attributed to opiates. But the county more than doubled the number of deaths in 2015, the worst on record at the time.

And the deaths keep happening at a breakneck pace. There were at least 46 heroin and fentanyl deaths in January. That number could grow to 57 after toxicology tests are finalized, according to the medical examiner.

Fourteen people died this weekend, according to the medical examiner. Some 24 total have died from the drugs in the first five days of the month, bringing the total for 2017 to at least 70.

Public officials, the medical community and others have targeted the problem for several years now, labeling the crisis an epidemic. But the resources put forward have seemingly done little stem the problem.

Cleveland.com last year chronicled the dozens of victims of heroin and fentanyl and the crushing toll it took on their families.

The series, along with the hard statistics, show no one demographic is safe from the drugs. Heroin and fentanyl overdose victims live across Cuyahoga County, in the wealthier suburbs and in the economically stressed parts of the inner-city. Ages range from late teens into people in their late 60s.

What can be done to stem the tide of heroin and fentanyl deaths in Northeast Ohio and the state? Is it a funding issue? Do more beds need to be made available for addicts seeking treatment? Does law enforcement need to prioritize targeting those who deal the deadly drugs?

Join us today from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a civil, constructive conversation in the comments section below about the opiate crisis in Northeast Ohio and how it can be addressed.

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