CDC data shows major drop in overdose deaths, as many as 20,000 lives saved

Karah Rucker

NEW PUBLIC HEALTH DATA SHOWS A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES –

ACCORDING TO NATIONAL SURVEYS COMPILED BY THE CDC AND REPORTED BY NPR. 

IT SHOWS A DECLINE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS BY APPROXIMATELY 10.6 PERCENT FROM APRIL OF 2023 TO APRIL OF 2024. 

IN STATES WITH RAPID DATA COLLECTION – THE DECLINE IS EVEN MORE PRONOUNCED.

A “STREET DRUG EXPERT” AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA TOLD NPR SOME AREAS ARE SEEING A 20 TO 30 PERCENT DECREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS –

WHICH ALSO CORRESPONDS WITH SIMILAR STEEP DECLINES IN EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS FOR O-D’S.

THIS ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THESE NUMBERS AMOUNT TO AS MANY AS 20 THOUSAND LIVES SAVED IN ONE YEAR.

HOWEVER – THE CRISIS REMAINS JUST THAT.

WITH ROUGHLY 100 THOUSAND DEATHS STILL OCCURRING ANNUALLY –

DRIVEN BY DANGEROUS STREET DRUG COMBINATIONS –

LIKE FENTANYL, METHAMPHETAMINES, AND XYLAZINE.

DOCTORS AND ANALYSTS WHO SPOKE TO NPR WERE ASKED – WHY SUCH A SUDDEN SHIFT FROM DRAMATIC INCREASES IN OVERDOSE DEATHS YEAR AFTER YEAR –

TO NOW A DRAMATIC 10 PERCENT DROP?

THEY SAY IT’S STILL A MYSTERY AT THIS POINT.

BUT BELIEVE IT COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO A FEW DIFFERENT FACTORS.

FROM THE AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF TREATMENTS FOR FENTANYL ADDICTION.

TO THE END OF THE COVID PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES DRIVING UP DRUG USE.

FOR YEARS NOW – FENTANYL AND SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS ARE THE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS.

FOLLOWED BY METH AND COCAINE.

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