Hayden Panettiere: Overdose Crisis Hitting Hard in Neighborhood Where She Died

Hayden Panettiere's death is causing concern for Greenville, SC residents, who fear the actress is just the latest tragic example of the opioid crisis ravaging their city.

An addict-turned-advocate who lives in the area tells TMZ ... laced drugs and fatal overdoses have been a serious concern in Greenville for years, particularly in the area where Hayden died last Sunday.

She says the area's developed a reputation as a place where people can party and easily obtain drugs ... alleging some residents even have drugs delivered to their doorstep.

While there's currently no hard evidence linking Hayden's death to drugs, a first responder said she suffered a possible overdose, and as TMZ first reported ... the Drug Enforcement Administration is now on the case.

The local resident says the city is trying to make medications like Narcan -- which combats opioid overdoses -- more widely available in the community, while also teaching people how to administer it. Fatal ODs actually declined in Greenville last year, and the coroner credits that, in part, to Narcan.

In a sad coincidence, August is Overdose Awareness Month, and we're told some Greenville residents plan to commemorate Hayden on August 28 at an annual event called Jessica’s Walk.