Data released earlier this year by the Onondaga County Department of Health show opioid deaths nearly tripled between 2010 and 2015 while heroin deaths rose substantially.
In 2010, the county reported one heroin-related death, but five years later, reported 36 such deaths in 2015.
The county stipulated the data counted deaths of Onondaga County residents that occured in the county where heroin or other opioids such as morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone, among others, caused or contributed to a person's death.
Heroin-related deaths happened most frequently among white males, age 20-29, according to the health department, adding use has increased across most demographic groups.
With both opioid and heroin death statistics, there are still pending cases from 2015 that haven't been included in the health department's reported data.
In Cayuga County, the coroner's office said "six or seven" of the 17 drug overdoes were related to pure heroin.
From 2013 to 2014, heroin overdose deaths int he United States increased by 26 percent with more than 10,500 people dying in 2014, according to the CDC.