BATON ROUGE - The city-parish could be setting an unwanted record by the end of this year: newly released numbers confirm overdoses are on the rise.

This comes after ten deaths were recently caused by overdoses in just one week.

With the numbers set to break another record this year, officials are pushing out and reminding those of the resources available to help with addiction.

Last year 311 overdose deaths were recorded in the parish. This year, they're expecting that number to reach over 360.
As of June 20, 141 deaths were recorded but there are still more pending toxicology reports. This time last year, the parish saw 128 confirmed fatal overdoses, a 17% increase.

Over the years, the parish has seen an increase in these fatalities due to fentanyl by about 90%.

Jon Daily with the District Attorney's office has partnered with groups like the 'When You Are Ready' campaign which offers resources to those seeking change from addiction. Just a few weeks ago, the campaign partnered with the group 'Set-Free' and handed out Narcan in the EBR community.

Daily says they're seeing more drugs like methamphetamine and marijuana laced with fentanyl, resulting in fatal overdoses, than ever before.

"We also down here see a lot of pill pressing so, people who think they may be buying a Xanax, valium or ecstasy pills, really it's a fake pill and pressed with fentanyl or some other drug. We also see a lot of people who think they are buying cocaine or just a regular bag of marijuana and come to find out, it's laced with fentanyl, not really sure why marijuana is being laced with fentanyl, that's alarming."

The When You Are Ready campaign has several resources to help addicts in the East Baton Rouge community.
You can find phone numbers for local and detox providers and also their 'Ride or Die' program, to help get you or someone you know, to a detox or treatment location on their website.