Fentanyl Treatment and Overdose Risk in Canton, OH

Fentanyl is the drug driving most of Stark County's overdose deaths, but 2024 finally bent the curve: state health data show fentanyl was involved in 43 of the county's 107 unintentional overdose deaths in 2024, down from 84 in 2023, and the county's Overdose Fatality Review counted 104 total deaths - the first real downturn in years. Medication, naloxone, and local treatment capacity all exist here. Here is what the data shows and how to start.

What the Stark County numbers show

Two official sources, counted slightly differently, tell the same story:

• The Stark County Overdose Fatality Review's 2024 report counted 104 overdose deaths in 2024, 53 involving opioids. Its identified trends include rising xylazine and methadone involvement and a rising share of stimulant-related deaths, which have now surpassed opiate-related deaths locally.
• The Ohio Department of Health's 2024 overdose report, which counts deaths by county of residence, lists Stark at 107 unintentional overdose deaths in 2024, with fentanyl involved in 43 - down sharply from 84 fentanyl-involved deaths in 2023.

Statewide context: fentanyl was involved in 69% of Ohio's 2024 unintentional overdose deaths, and fentanyl-related deaths fell 42% from 2023 to 2024 - the lowest share since 2016. Fentanyl almost never travels alone: 71% of Ohio's cocaine-involved deaths and 68% of its psychostimulant (methamphetamine)-involved deaths also involved fentanyl.

What actually works against fentanyl

Medication. For opioid use disorder - which is what fentanyl causes - buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone have the strongest evidence in addiction medicine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people treated with methadone or buprenorphine are less likely to die or overdose than people who go without treatment.

Locally, CommQuest Services provides medication-assisted treatment at its Canton Outpatient Campus, 601 Cleveland Ave. NW (Building A), with walk-in assessments Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and at its Recovery Campus in Massillon (1680 Nave Road SE), which provides withdrawal management with around-the-clock care. In September 2025 it also launched an outpatient withdrawal-management program funded by the City of Canton's opioid settlement money. Compiling FindTreatment.gov facility data on October 19, 2026, 110 substance use treatment facilities sit within a 30-mile radius of Canton, including about 8 that dispense methadone, 36 that report buprenorphine, and 38 that report naltrexone - counts change as programs open and close, so confirm on the locator.

Naloxone. It reverses a fentanyl overdose, though fentanyl's strength may mean more than one dose: give a dose, call 911, give another after 2-3 minutes if the person does not respond, and stay with them. Naloxone is sold over the counter and distributed locally through Canton City Public Health's harm reduction program and other Stark County partners. It cannot hurt someone who is not overdosing.

The stimulant overlap, and what it means for Canton

Stark County's OFR flags that stimulant-related deaths have surpassed opiate-related ones locally, and the state data shows why the two are entangled: most stimulant deaths in Ohio now also involve fentanyl. The practical rule is the same as ever - never use alone, keep naloxone within reach, and treat any bag or pill as if it may contain fentanyl.

If someone is unresponsive, breathing slowly, or has pinpoint pupils, call 911 and give naloxone if you have it. For a crisis that is not a medical emergency, call or text 988, or StarkMHAR's 24/7 crisis line at 330-452-6000.

How to start today

1. If someone is overdosing, call 911 now and give naloxone. For a crisis, call or text 988.
2. Call or text (800) 653-9376 to speak with a treatment specialist, or use this form:

Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.

3. Search findtreatment.gov with a Canton ZIP code such as 44702 and filter for medication-assisted treatment.
4. Ask any program directly how fast they can start buprenorphine - many can begin the same week.

Fentanyl changed the risk of everything it touches, but opioid use disorder remains one of the most treatable conditions in medicine. The first call is the hard part, and it costs nothing.

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any facility named above.

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