The fatalities are falling.
The opioid crisis in the United States appears to be easing, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report, published by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, shows that drug overdose (OD) deaths decreased by 4% between 2022 and 2023. The overall death rate from overdoses dropped from 32.6 per 100,000 people in 2022 to 31.3 per 100,000 in 2023, with the decline mainly attributed to a reduction in deaths involving opioids.
The CDC report, led by senior researcher Arialdi Minino, highlighted that overdose deaths involving opioids, especially synthetic ones like fentanyl, showed a significant decrease during this period. However, the report also noted an increase in overdose deaths among users of stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine, signaling ongoing concerns with these substances.
The study found that overdose death rates declined in 20 states, while 25 states experienced no significant changes. On the other hand, six states—Alabama, Alaska, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington—saw an increase in overdose fatalities. The variation in overdose trends across different states was linked to the specific types of drugs contributing to the deaths.
For example, overdose deaths related to opioids decreased in 20 states but increased in nine, while deaths linked to synthetic opioids other than methadone dropped in 17 states but rose in 11. Overdose deaths involving psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine, decreased in nine states and increased in six. Cocaine-related deaths fell in three states but rose in 13.
West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Tennessee, and Louisiana reported the highest overdose death rates in 2023, while states like Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa, North Dakota, Montana, Arkansas, and Texas had the lowest. The report underscores the varying impact of the drug crisis across the country and highlights ongoing challenges, particularly with stimulant drugs.
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