Decatur, GA (July 16, 2018) – The GBI’s Forensic Chemistry section has released new data on the 2018 statewide drug trends in Georgia. This culmination of data is attributed to law enforcement seizures tested by the Crime Lab. It should be noted that the GBI Crime Lab does not test every item submitted by law enforcement officers and does not routinely test marijuana.*

In calendar year 2018, drug analysis indicates the following:

  • The top 6 drugs tested are: 1) methamphetamine, 2) cocaine, 3) alprazolam, 4) oxycodone, 5) heroin, and 6) hydrocodone
  • The most seized opioids are: 1) oxycodone, 2) heroin, 3) hydrocodone, followed by 4) fentanyl/analogs.
  • The top 5 counties with the highest use of opioids in Georgia are: 1) Cobb, 2) Gwinnett, 3) Fulton, 4) DeKalb, and 5) Chatham. NOTE: In calendar year 2017, the county with the 5th highest number of opioids was Richmond with 1-4 being the same metro Atlanta counties.
  • A total of 11 different variations of fentanyl were seized by law enforcement and tested by our Crime Lab.

Attached are graphs/charts to illustrate these drug trends.

*This data was collected on May 22, 2018 and is subject to change as additional cases are tested by the lab. The data represents 3,954 drug cases submitted to our crime lab by law enforcement agencies.

Contact Information:

Nelly Miles - Public Affairs Director - 404-270-8330

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