MURFREESBORO, TN — After once being identified as a regional hotspot during the height of the opioid epidemic, Rutherford County is now showing signs of progress, reporting a significant decline in overdose deaths over the past four years. Officials say opioid use overall has declined locally, and overdose fatalities have dropped into the double digits, a notable shift from previous years.

Rutherford County Commissioner Craig Harris recently outlined the county’s aggressive strategy to address opioid addiction. The plan combines previously fought legal action against pharmaceutical companies with targeted investments in law enforcement, education, and recovery programs.

Harris said Rutherford County took the unusual step of joining a class-action lawsuit against pharmaceutical manufacturers independently of the state, which resulted in the county receiving $575,000 annually to address opioid-related issues...

Independent of the funds Tennessee distributes through its broader opioid settlement, Harris said Rutherford County will receive more than $10 million over the next 18 years through the local settlement. When combined with the state’s funding, the county now has access to about $1 million annually in unrestricted funds dedicated to fighting addiction and improving recovery services.

Data from the DEA’s Automated Reports and Consolidated Ordering System (ARCOS) prescription drug distribution reports also shows how the region once ranked among the highest areas for prescription opioids. In 2019, communities located in ZIP codes beginning with “370” recorded the highest amount of prescription hydrocodone and oxycodone distribution in Tennessee. Those areas included portions of Rutherford County (La Vergne), Davidson County (Goodlettsville), Sumner County (Hendersonville), Wilson County (Lebanon), Williamson County (Franklin), and Cheatham County (Kingston Springs).

Coming in second statewide were areas with ZIP codes beginning with “371,” which include large portions of Rutherford County along with communities in Warren, Davidson, Humphreys, Sumner, Dickson, Montgomery, Cannon, Wilson, Robertson, Cheatham, Bedford, Maury, DeKalb, and Houston counties.

Beginning in 2021, Rutherford County began making substantial investments in combating addiction, allocating more than $2.5 million toward prevention and enforcement efforts...

According to county leaders, those funds helped hire specialized law enforcement officers, purchase investigative equipment, and add a K9 unit dedicated to drug enforcement within the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials say the results are measurable. Harris noted that overdose fatalities have fallen sharply in recent years...

Harris told WGNS the decline represents more than a 50% reduction in overdose deaths locally. By comparison, Knoxville reported 272 overdose deaths during the same time period, underscoring Rutherford County’s improvement relative to other similarly sized municipalities.

“We focused on awareness, education, and recovery,” Harris said, noting that a local educational pilot program has grown from 380 students to reaching approximately 42,000 children within the Rutherford County School System.

Beyond emergency response and prevention programs, Harris said the county is also working toward what he calls a “Dignity-First” recovery approach. The initiative focuses on helping individuals who have overcome addiction reintegrate into society by assisting them in regaining driver’s licenses, obtaining stable employment, and partnering with local businesses willing to hire people in recovery.

More In-Depth Look at Prescription Drugs in Rutherford County - Meanwhile, DEA data shows a mixed statewide picture for prescription opioid distribution between 2019 and 2024. According to the ARCOS reports, oxycodone distribution in Tennessee increased slightly, rising from 1,324,350.70 grams in 2019 to 1,385,959.29 grams in 2024, an increase of about 4.7 percent. Tennessee’s national ranking for oxycodone distribution per 100,000 residents moved from No. 2 in 2019 to No. 1 in 2024.

But the 371 ZIP prefix, which is most of Rutherford County, did not follow that statewide pattern. In 2019, ZIP 371 accounted for 145,909.54 grams of oxycodone, while in 2024 it was 110,145.39 grams, a decrease of 35,764.15 grams, or about 24.5%. So statewide oxycodone rose, but the 371 area actually fell, which suggests the increase was driven elsewhere in Tennessee, but not in the Rutherford County zip codes.

Other opioid medications also declined. Hydrocodone statewide dropped dramatically, from 699,977.77 grams in 2019 to 289,678.53 grams in 2024, a reduction of nearly 59 percent. Morphine also decreased, falling from 448,625.13 grams to 392,498.46 grams, a drop of about 12.5 percent over the five-year period.

Locally, the trend was even more pronounced. In the 371 ZIP code region, which covers much of Rutherford County, hydrocodone distribution fell from 89,303.08 grams in 2019 to 61,591.69 grams in 2024, a decline of roughly 31 percent.

The region also saw a decline in oxycodone distribution. ZIP codes beginning with 371 recorded 145,909.54 grams in 2019, compared to 110,145.39 grams in 2024, representing a decrease of about 24.5 percent.

Morphine distribution experienced one of the largest local drops. In the 371 ZIP prefix area, the drug fell from 42,281.07 grams in 2019 to 21,374.86 grams in 2024, a decline of nearly 50 percent.

While the county faces continued challenges as its population is projected to exceed 511,000 residents by 2040, Harris said the infrastructure now in place provides a solid foundation for addressing addiction and preventing future overdoses. “We have shown progress,” Harris said. “But the work is not done. As we grow, we cannot get complacent.”

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