MACON, Ga. — Overdose deaths are down in Georgia this year, but Bibb County ranked in the top five in the state for emergency room visits for overdoses for the first half of the year. That's according to reports from the Georgia Department of Public Health .

Recovery advocates say a new law could make a life-saving difference.

New Start is the only methadone clinic in Milledgeville . Clinical Director Charles Cofer says helping people recover from opioid addiction is hard work, but rewarding.

"I get the opportunity to help people regain their lives, and save their lives, change their lives," he said.

But there's one drug Cofer can't treat — xylazine , also called " tranq ".

"The effects of it in a person is terrible. I've actually seen what it does," Cofer said.

Marissa C

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