The United States has seen a decrease in overdose deaths for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to new federal data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. The rate of overdose deaths fell 4% from 32.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022 to 31.3 per 100,000 people in 2023.
Experts attribute the decrease to a more aggressive approach towards treating drug conditions, including increasing access to treatment programs and making naloxone and fentanyl test strips more widely available. Dr. Aitzaz Munir, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, believes that treatment for addiction works, and the decline in overdose deaths is likely due to better responses in places where treatments are available.
Dr. Magadlena Cerdá, a professor in the department of population health at New York University Grossman School of Medicine, suggests that the decrease may also be linked to a decrease in fentanyl supply. The potency of fentanyl pills seized by law enforcement has been decreasing, which may contribute to the decline.
The report found that West Virginia had the highest rate at 81.9 deaths per 100,000, while Nebraska had the lowest rate at 9.0 deaths per 100,000. The decline in overdose deaths was seen in 20 states, with increases in six states: Alabama, Alaska, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/drug-overdose-deaths-fall-2023-1st-time-pandemic/story?id=119003775