Drug that killed Prince tied to hundreds of deaths in Georgia in recent years

Fentanyl, the prescription painkiller cited in the death of music legend Prince, has contributed to nearly 400 deaths in Georgia during a five-year period, according to an analysis of data by the AJC.

The data also show a spike in fentanyl-related deaths of nearly 190 percent from 2013 to 2014, the most recent year available. Fentanyl is an especially potent painkiller that is used to treat extreme pain. It can be 50 times more powerful than heroin - and is fatal in even small amounts.

Here's the data, courtesy AJC data journalists Jennifer Peebles and Jeff Ernsthausen:

Credit: Willoughby Mariano

Credit: Willoughby Mariano