Our areas of focus are determined by the latest research indicating current drug trends posing the greatest risks and dangers to Georgia’s youth. According to the National Vitals Statistic System, between August 2021 and August 2022, there have been a reported 2,483 drug overdose deaths in the state of Georgia. In that same 12 month time period we saw that 1,812 of those reported deaths were identified as an opioid-related overdose death. Between 2020 and 2021 we saw a 15% increase in overdose deaths nation wide with numbers rising from 93,655 to 107,622 deaths.

Prevention remains the best way to change perceptions of harm, long-term behaviors, and is especially relevant with the rise of fentanyl related drug overdose deaths.

Our peer-to-peer education work, through the Teen Action Council, is also critical. In 2020, 70% of people who misused prescription drugs obtained them non-medically from family or friends, and according to the 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey, nicotine vaping has become one of the most commonly misused substances among teens. Additionally, we also saw steady pre-pandemic levels of alcohol and cannabis misuse among youth in 2022. Together we can make a difference and reverse these trends.

The Georgia Prevention Project is funded by The Office of Behavioral Health Prevention (OBHP) within the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) as well as the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH),  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and through private foundations and support. We thank our funders for their ongoing support so we can provide evidence-based prevention services throughout Georgia.