New York– The United States recorded 30,000 fewer drug overdose deaths in 2024 compared to the previous year, marking the steepest annual decline in more than four decades, according to provisional data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
An estimated 80,000 people died from drug overdoses last year, down 27 percent from the 110,000 deaths reported in 2023. This represents the largest single-year drop since the CDC began collecting comparable data 45 years ago. The previous record decline was just 4 percent, recorded in 2018.
All but two states—Nevada and South Dakota—saw reductions in overdose fatalities. States like Ohio and West Virginia, which have been among the hardest hit during the opioid crisis, experienced some of the most significant improvements.
Experts say more research is needed to understand the exact causes behind the decline, but they point to several contributing factors. These include the broader availability of naloxone, the life-saving drug that can reverse opioid overdoses, expanded access to addiction treatment, changes in drug use patterns, and the impact of billions in funding from opioid litigation settlements.
Additionally, experts suggest that the number of Americans at risk may be declining, due in part to previous waves of fatalities among older users and a noticeable shift among teens and young adults away from the most lethal substances.
Despite the progress, overdose deaths in the U.S. remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. The CDC emphasized that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44, highlighting the need to sustain and strengthen current interventions.
Some public health officials have raised concerns that the positive momentum could be reversed if federal funding is cut, public health workforces are reduced, or if effective strategies are abandoned.
The CDC’s figures are provisional and include all overdose deaths in the U.S., including those of non-citizens. Final numbers may vary slightly, but officials say the sharp drop is unmistakable.
Experts also caution that this is not the first time the U.S. has seen a temporary dip in overdose deaths. A similar decline in 2018 was followed by a resurgence in fatalities, underscoring the fragile and complex nature of the crisis. (Source: IANS)
