NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Metro Council is slated to hold a special meeting Tuesday to address drug overdoses after data revealed cases are on the rise data in Davidson County.

In fact, according to data provided by the Metro Health Department, in the first twenty-nine weeks of 2022, Davidson County saw an average of 161 reported overdoses per week, which is down from the same period last year when the county saw 182 overdoses. 

According to Metro Health Department, the county is averaging 12.7 overdose deaths every week. The health department says 77.6% of the reported deaths involved fentanyl. 

The threat from fentanyl led the Metro Council to call a special meeting to discuss what can be done. Councilmember Erin Evans says more education is needed on the issue that is claiming so many lives in the Metro area. 

“I represent an area that is one of the hotspot communities in Davidson County, and so there’s a lot more education that needs to take place,” said Evans, “I think that probably as a council, we struggle with wrapping our arms around this as an issue because it doesn’t feel as it’s not as easily solved as some other issues that we’re dealing with.”  

Evans says the committee will also hear from those who have been personally impacted by drug and fentanyl overdoses like Tanja Jacobs. 

Jacobs lost her 22-year-old son, Romello Marchman, in 2020 on Memorial Day from a fentanyl overdose. The woman has since made it her mission to help low-income families in Nashville who are grieving after losing a loved one to a drug overdose through the  Romello A. Marchman Foundation.

The special called Council Public Health and Safety Committee meeting on fentanyl overdoses will be held on July 26 at 4 p.m. in council chambers.