Ocean County among the areas most affected by opioid-related deaths

Monmouth County had the tenth highest death rate among the 21 counties.

New figures released by New Jersey's Addictions and Anti-Drug Strategies Coordinator take a hard look at the record of the opioid crisis on the Jersey Shore and the success of the effort to fight it.

The numbers give a mixed picture. Opioid prescriptions in Monmouth and Ocean counties – and throughout the state – are down, but in many areas, deaths continue to increase. To learn more about drug-related deaths nationwide, check out the video at the top of this story.

At the statewide, 2,750 people died of suspected overdoses in 2017, nearly eight per day and a leap of about 24% over 2016. But for the first time these In recent years, fewer than 5 million have cracked down on the excessive prescription of triggering the deadly epidemic.

Statewide: Fatal overdoses continue to increase in New Jersey as opioid prescriptions decrease

Ocean County

Ocean County has always been one of the regions most affected by the plague of opioid addiction and overdose deaths.

In 2016, the county had the second highest gross total and overdose death rate among all state counties. Only Essex County, the most populous state, has experienced more deaths and only the Atlantic County has recorded a higher rate of fatal overdoses.

Last year, as county authorities worked to help addicts, the number of deaths dropped and the county ranked fourth in terms of the number of fatal overdoses. Statistics on deaths by county population have not been published for 2017.

The number of opioid prescriptions in Ocean County has also increased from more than 450,000 in 2016 to less than 420,000 last year. This decrease follows a law passed in February 2017 that limits the duration of initial prescriptions of opioids to five days.

RELATED: Ocean County Attorney Cautions Congress: Fentanyl Creates "Synthetic Storm"

Monmouth County

The number of suspected overdose deaths has steadily increased in Monmouth County in recent years, rising from 85 in 2013 to 171 last year, the fifth largest in the state, according to preliminary data.

In 2016, there was an alleged overdose death for 3,822 County residents, the tenth highest death rate among the 21 counties in the state and slightly below the average of a death for 4,043 residents.

Opioid prescriptions in the county have risen from a peak of about 432,000 in 2015 to about 372,000 last year.

IN DEPTH: Drug-related deaths in New Jersey continue to skyrocket as national numbers decline